A gold electrode modified with a gold-graphene oxide nanocomposite for non-enzymatic sensing of glucose at near-neutral pH values

A nanocomposite was prepared from gold and graphene oxide via one-step electrodeposition and used to modify the surface of a gold electrode (Au-Gr/GE) that was then applied to non-enzymatic determination of glucose. The effects of deposition time and supporting substrate on the morphology, structure, and electrochemical properties of the nanocomposite were optimized. The morphologies and crystal structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The results indicate that gold nanoparticles grew on the surface of two-dimensional graphene oxide. The electrocatalytic activity of the modified electrode towards glucose oxidation was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and amperometric methods at pH 7.4. The Au-Gr/GE, typically operated at a potential of 0.00 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), has a linear response in the 0.05–14 mM and 14–42 mM glucose concentration range, high sensitivity (604 and 267 μA cm −2 mM −1 ) and a low detection limit (12 μM). The modified GE was applied to quantify glucose in sweat where it exhibited excellent sensitivity and accuracy. Graphical abstract The gold electrode modified with a gold-graphene (Au-Gr/GE) is prepared via a direct electrodeposition. The Au-Gr/GE is used for glucose detection in the neutral solution and it can achieve the effect of non-intrusive detection.