Reduced graphene oxide-Hemin-Au nanohybrids: Facile one-pot synthesis and enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of hydrogen peroxide

A facile and effective strategy is demonstrated for the synthesis of ternary reduced graphene oxide-Hemin-Au (rGO-H-Au) nanohybrids. The nanohybrids were synthesized through a one-pot in situ reduction of GO and HAuCl4 under alkaline conditions using GO, Hemin and HAuCl4 as the starting materials. The synthesis process can be finished within 1h in a solution phase, without adding any additional surfactant, stabilizing agent and toxic or harsh chemical reducing agents. The resulting nanohybrids were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and so on. Electrochemical measurements showed that the rGO-H-Au nanohybrids exhibited good electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Based on this property, a simple and highly sensitive amperometric biosensor for H2O2 had been developed. The linear relationships were obtained from 0.1µM to 40µM and the detection limit was estimated to be 30nM. The simple and sensitive sensing platform showed great promising applications in the pharmaceutical, clinical and industrial detection of H2O2. •Ternary rGO-H-Au nanohybrid is developed by a one-pot in situ reduction reaction.•The synthesis method is simple, fast, effective without any additional reductant.•The nanohybrid exhibits good electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of H2O2.•A wide linear range is obtained from 0.1 to 40µM, and detection limit of 30nM.•The sensor shows high selectivity, stability and reproducibility.