Potentiometric Detection of Saccharides Based on Highly Ordered Poly(aniline boronic acid) Nanotubes

•Highly ordered poly(aniline boronic acid) (PABA) nanotubes were firstly fabricated.•The synthesized polymer had a porous structure with small diameters and high surface.•The response of PABA nanotubes modified electrode to saccharide bonding was enhanced.•The nonenzymatic sensor showed high sensitivity and fast response. Potentiometric detection of saccharides based on highly ordered poly(aniline boronic acid) (PABA) nanotubes modified electrode was systematically investigated. The PABA nanotubes were first fabricated by electrochemical polymerization of 3-Aminophenylboronic acid in an anodic alumina oxide (AAO) membrane. Their morphologies and structure were then characterized using scanning electron microscopy and FT-IR spectroscopy. The as-synthesized PABA nanotubes had a very porous structure with small diameters and high surface area. The sensitivity and response time of PABA nanotubes modified electrode to saccharides were discussed. The sensitivity of the sensor in connection with length of PABA nanotubes and pH of the solution was studied. The sensor showed much high sensitivity to D-glucose (ca. 1.5mVmM−1) and D-fructose (ca. 3.5mVmM−1) with fast response time for D-glucose (65s) and D-fructose (23s).