A novel self-powered sensor based on Ni(OH)2/Fe2O3 photoanode for glucose detection by converting solar energy into electricity

•A photo fuel cell (PFC) based self-powered sensor is successfully constructed.•The sensing is powered by converting solar energy without external power inputting.•The glucose sensitivity is 24.59 μW cm−2 mM−1 on Ni(OH)2/Fe2O3 self-powered sensor.•It is much higher than 3.53 μW cm−2 mM−1 obtained on bare Fe2O3 based sensor.•Ni(OH)2 enhances the charge injection and promotes glucose oxidation kinetics. Self-powered sensors have great application prospects in the field of analytic chemistry because they can determine analytes without inputting external electricity. In this work, Fe2O3 electrode with nanorod morphology was synthesized by chemical bath method, then a layer of Ni(OH)2 was decorated on the surface of Fe2O3 nanorods via successive ion adsorption. Furthermore, a Ni(OH)2/Fe2O3-based photo fuel cell (PFC) was fabricated as a novel self-powered sensor. The produced maximum power density (Pmax) of the sensor shows a linear relationship with glucose concentrations in the range of 0.05–0.25 mM with a sensitivity of 24.59 μW cm–2 mM–1, which is much higher than that of bare Fe2O3-based self-powered sensor (only 3.53 μW cm–2 mM–1). The better performance achieved on the Ni(OH)2/Fe2O3-based sensor is because Ni(OH)2 has high electrocatalytic activity for glucose oxidation and it can improve photo-generated charge inject efficiency (ηinj) to substrate. In addition, the sensor also possesses good selectivity, stability and applicability for glucose sensing. In a word, this work provides a non-enzymatic, simple-construction, cost-effective and sustainable PFC based self-powered sensor, which may guide future designs for the determination of analytes and offer a new route for utilization of widespread solar energy.