Controllable synthesis of six corner star-like Cu2O/PEDOT-MWCNT composites and their performance toward electrochemical glucose sensing

In this study, a novel electrochemical non-enzyme sensing platform for glucose detection was fabricated on the basis of shape-controlled Cu2O six corner star-like microcrystal (SCSM) composite doped with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT)-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy analysis indicate that the Cu2O SCSMs in the composite show a perfect single crystal structure with six arms and they are bounded with {430} and adjacent high-index facets. Thanks to the Cu2O SCSMs with a high density of active sites and enhanced electron transfer ability of PEDOT-MWCNTs, the prepared Cu2O SCSM/PEDOT-MWCNTs exhibit higher electrocatalytic activity toward glucose oxidation compared to the other counterpart electrodes. On the basis of the Cu2O SCSM/PEDOT-MWCNTs composite, the non-enzymatic amperometric sensing of glucose has been successfully realized in 0.1 M NaOH at 0.5 V with a short response time (