3D V2O5-MoS2/rGO nanocomposites with enhanced peroxidase mimicking activity for sensitive colorimetric determination of H2O2 and glucose

Ni/WS2/WC Composite Nanosheets as an Efficient Catalyst for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Peroxide Sensing and Hydrogen Evolution

It is highly attractive to develop a photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing platform based on a non-noble-metal nano array architecture. In this paper, a PEC hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) biosensor based on Ni/WS2/WC heterostructures was synthesized by a facile hydrothermal synthesis method and melamine carbonization process. The morphology, structural and composition and light absorption properties of the Ni/WS2/WC catalyst were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-visible spectrophotometer. The average size of the Ni/WS2/WC nanosheets was about 200 nm. Additionally, the electrochemical properties toward H2O2 were studied using an electrochemical workstation. Benefiting from the Ni and C atoms, the optimized Ni/WS2/WC catalyst showed superior H2O2 sensing performance and a large photocurrent response. It was found that the detection sensitivity of the Ni/WS2/WC catalyst was 25.7 μA/cm2/mM, and the detection limit was 0.3 mmol/L in the linear range of 1-10 mM. Simultaneously, the synthesized Ni/WS2/WC electrode displayed excellent electrocatalytic properties in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), with a relatively small overpotential of 126 mV at 10 mA/cm2 in 0.5 M H2SO4. This novel Ni/WS2/WC electrode may provide new insights into preparing other efficient hybrid photoelectrodes for PEC applications.

Hydrangea-like AuPtRu/ZnO-rGO Nanocomposites with Enhanced Peroxidase Mimiking Activity for Senitive Colorimetric Determination of H2O2

In this study, a facile and cost-effective hydrothermal synthesis method was used to synthesize zinc oxide nanoflowers modified by reduced graphene oxide, and subsequently, trimetallic AuPtRu nanoparticles(AuPtRuNPs) were supported via the reduction method for high-sensitivity colorimetric detection of H2O2 in weakly acidic solutions. Compared to monometallic and bimetallic nanoparticles, trimetallic nanoparticles exhibit significant synergistic effects and enhanced catalytic activity. After providing a three-dimensional structure with multiple pores by zinc oxide and enhancing electron transfer ability by reduced graphene, the trimetallic nanocomposites (AuPtRu/ZnO-rGO) exhibited excellent peroxidase-mimicking activity, which can effectively catalyze 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to produce a blue oxidation product (oxTMB) in the presence of H2O2. Compared to horseradish peroxidase (HRP), AuPtRu/ZnO-rGO demonstrated significantly enhanced catalytic velocity (Vmax = 6.16 × 10-8 M/s) and affinity (Km = 0.02) for H2O2. The study of the catalytic mechanism showed that trimetallic Au, Pt, and Ru could effectively catalyze H2O2 to produce hydroxyl radicals (•OH) to accelerate the oxidation of TMB and enhance the peroxidase-mimicking activity of the AuPtRu/ZnO-rGO nanocomposites. The results showed that the as-synthesized hydrangea-like AuPtRu/ZnO-rGO nanocomposites showed enhanced peroxidase-mimicking activity. It could be used for the colorimetric detection of H2O2 in the range 5-1000 μM with a LOD of 3.0 μM (S/N = 3), and the recoveries are 93.0-101.7%. In addition, the AuPtRu/ZnO-rGO nanocomposites have good applicability for sensitive colorimetric determination of H2O2 in milk, and it has broad application prospects as a multifunctional sensing platform in the food processing industry.

A colorimetric sensor array based on nanoceria crosslinked and heteroatom-doped graphene oxide nanoribbons for the detection and discrimination of multiple pesticides

Nanozymes have demonstrated high potential in constructing colorimetric sensor array for pesticides. However, rarely array for pesticides constructed without bio-enzyme were reported. Herein, nanoceria crosslinked graphene oxide nanoribbons (Ce-GONRs) and heteroatom-doped graphene oxide nanoribbons (Ce-BGONRs and Ce-NGONRs) were prepared, demonstrating excellent peroxidase-like activities. A colorimetric sensor array was developed based on directly inhibiting the peroxidase-like activities of the above three nanozymes, which realized the discrimination and quantitative analysis of six pesticides. In the presence of pesticides including carbaryl (Car), fluroxypyr-mepthyl (Flu), thiophanate-methyl (Thio), thiram (Thir), diafenthiuron (Dia) and fomesafen (Fom), the peroxidase-like activities of three nanozymes were inhibited to different degrees, resulting in different fingerprint responses. The six pesticides in the concentration range of 0.1-50 μg/mL and two pesticides mixtures at varied ratios could be detected and discriminated, and minimum detection limit for pesticides was 0.022 μg/mL. In addition, this sensor array has been successfully applied for pesticides discrimination in lake water and apple samples. This work provided a new strategy of constructing simple and sensitive colorimetric sensor array for pesticides based on directly inhibiting the catalytic activities of nanozymes.

A robust and facile colorimetric aptasensor for the detection of Salmonella Typhimurium based on the regulation of Fe3O4@Cu@PCPy yolk-shell nanozyme activity

Due to their superparamagnetism and enzyme-like activity, iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanozymes can be readily used for sample pretreatment and the generation of detection signals, and have, thus, attracted much attention in the field of bioanalysis and diagnosis. However, the low catalytic activity of Fe3O4 nanozymes does reduce the sensitivity of Fe3O4-based methods, limiting their application. In this study, Fe3O4@Cu@poly(pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid) yolk-shell nanozymes (Fe3O4@Cu@PCPy YSNs) were synthesized using a facile approach and selective chemical etching technology. Compared with Fe3O4 nanozymes, the Fe3O4@Cu@PCPy YSNs demonstrated a three-fold increase in the peroxidase-like activity, good dispersity and strong superparamagnetism. In addition, the flower-shaped structure of aptamer-complementary strand (Apt-CS) conjugates was designed on the surface of the Fe3O4@Cu@PCPy YSNs, which effectively inhibited their peroxidase-like activity by creating a physical barrier that hindered the access of substrates to the center of the Fe3O4@Cu@PCPy YSNs. Based on this principle, a robust and facile colorimetric aptasensor was developed for detecting Salmonella Typhimurium. The flower-shaped Apt-CS were dissociated in the presence of S. Typhimurium, promoting the recovery of Fe3O4@Cu@PCPy YSN catalytic activity. Under optimized conditions, this proposed aptasensor successfully detected S. Typhimurium in a linear range of 3 to 3 × 106 CFU/mL, achieving a detection limit of 1 CFU/mL. Finally, the feasibility of this novel aptasensor was further validated by three actual samples, with recoveries of between 84.3% and 102%, thereby demonstrating the huge potential of the proposed aptasensor for detecting S. Typhimurium in foods.

Investigation of structural, electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional MoS2-doped-V2O5 composites for photocatalytic application: a density functional theory study

In the present research, the structural, electronic and optical properties of transition metal dichalcogenide-doped transition metal oxides MoS₂-doped-V₂O₅ with various doping concentrations (x = 1-3%) of MoS₂ atoms are studied by using first principles calculation. The generalized gradient approximation Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof simulation approach is used to investigate the energy bandgap (E_g) of orthorhombic structures. We examined the energy bandgap (E_g) decrement from 2.76 to 1.30 eV with various doping (x = 1-3%) of molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) atoms. The bandgap nature shows that the material is a well-known direct bandgap semiconductor. MoS₂ doping (x = 1-3%) atoms in pentoxide (V₂O₅) creates the extra gamma active states which contribute to the formation of conduction and valance bands. MoS₂-doped-V₂O₅ composite is a proficient photocatalyst, has a large surface area for absorption of light, decreases the electron-hole pairs recombination rate and increases the charge transport. A comprehensive study of optical conductivity reveals that strong peaks of MoS₂-doped-V₂O₅ increase in ultraviolet spectrum region with small shifts at larger energy bands through increment doping x = 1-3% atoms of MoS₂. A significant decrement was found in the reflectivity due to the decrement in the bandgap with doping. The optical properties significantly increased by the decrement of bandgap (E_g). Two-dimensional MoS₂-doped-V₂O₅ composite has high energy absorption, optical conductivity and refractive index, and is an appropriate material for photocatalytic applications.

Reduced graphene oxide: Biofabrication and environmental applications

Green synthesis of high-quality reduced graphene oxide (rGO) from agro-industrial waste resources remains attractive owing to its outstanding environmental benefits. The remarkable properties of rGO include excellent morphology, uniform particle size, good optical properties, high conductivity, nontoxicity, and extraordinary chemical stability. Traditional methods for the synthesis of rGO nanomaterials involve several chemical reactions including oxidation, carbonization, toxic solvent, and pyrolysis which produce harmful byproducts. Green preparation of rGO is an emerging area of research in graphene technology which is cost-effective and sustainable in the procedure. Owing to the uniform particle rGO particle size, these smart nanomaterials have wide applicability, including in metal ions and pollutant sensing and adsorption, photocatalysis, optoelectrical devices, medical diagnosis, and drug delivery. Here we review the physicochemical properties of rGO, the biowaste sources and green methods of rGO synthesis, and the diverse applications of rGO, including in water purification and the biomedical fields. With this review, covering more than 200 research articles published on rGO in the last eight years ending in 2022, we aim to provide a quick guide for researchers seeking up-to-date information on the properties, production, and applicability of rGO, with special attention to rGO applications in water purification and the biomedical fields.

Hierarchical microtubes constructed using Fe-doped MoS2 nanosheets for biosensing applications

The structural design of multiple functional components could enhance the synergistic catalytic performance of MoS₂-based composites in enzyme-like catalysis. Herein, one-dimensional (1D) Fe-MoS₂ microtubes were designed to prepare tubular Fe-doped MoS₂ composites with MoO₃ microrods as self-sacrificing precursors. Remarkably, the results indicated that the generated ammonia released from the sulfidation process led to the dissolution of MoO₃ cores and the generation of a tubular structure. The Fe-MoS₂ composites integrated the synergistic effects of Fe-doped MoS₂ nanosheets (NSs) and the 1D tubular structure. Thus, a higher catalytic activity was observed in peroxidase-like catalysis than in other components, such as MoO₃@FeOOH, FeOOH and MoS₂ NSs. The peroxidase-like mechanism originated from the generation of the ˙OH radical. The Fe-MoS₂ microtube-based colorimetric assay was used to detect H₂O₂ with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.51 μM in a linear range from 1.25 to 50 μM. The colorimetric method was simple, selective, and sensitive for glutathione (GSH) detection in the range of 0.25-125 μM with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.12 μM. Thus, we provide a facile synthetic strategy for simultaneously integrating electronic modulation and structural design to develop an efficient MoS₂-based functional catalyst.

Decorating Zirconium on Graphene Oxide to Design a Multifunctional Nanozyme for Eco-Friendly Detection of Hydrogen Peroxide

Peroxidase enzymes are crucial in analytical chemistry owing to significant peroxide analytes and their key role in hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) detection. Therefore, exploiting appropriate catalysts for the peroxidase like reactions has become crucial for achieving desired analytical performance. Zirconium (Zr) has attracted growing interest, as a safe and stable potential eco-friendly catalyst for various organic transformations that address increasing environmental challenges. Hence, aiming at fast, sensitive and selective optical detection of H2O2, a colorimetric platform is presented here, based on the excellent peroxidase enzyme-like activity of Zr decorated on graphene oxide (GO). The synergistic effect achieved due to intimate contact between an enzyme like Zr and the high surface area 0f GO ensures efficient electron transfer that increases the chemical and catalytic activity of the composite and advances the decomposition of H2O2 into hydroxyl radicals. The designed probe, thus, efficiently catalyzes the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), via hydroxyl radicals, thereby transforming the colorless TMB into blue oxidized TMB within 2 min. The catalytic mechanism of the Zr-GO enzyme mimic is proposed herein and verified using a fluorescent probe terephthalic acid (TA) and other scavenger experiments. The multifunctional optical probe allows sensitive and highly selective recognition of H2O2 in a linear range from 100 to 1000 µM with a low detection limit of 0.57 µM. Essentially, the direct accessibility of Zr prevents having to use the complicated preparation and purification procedures mostly practiced for conventional biozymes and nanozymes. The devised method offers several gains, including being green and an inexpensive catalyst, having lower LOD, being fast, cost-effective and sensitive, and having selective work-up procedures.

RuO2/rGO heterostructures as mimic peroxidases for colorimetric detection of glucose

The successful synthesis of ruthenium oxide/reduced graphene oxide (RuO₂/rGO) heterostructures by one-pot hydrothermal method using graphene oxides and RuCl₃ as precursors is reported. The heterostructures had high peroxidase-like (POD-like) activities, which catalyzes the oxidation of classical peroxidase substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H₂O₂ to create a blue colored reaction product. The catalytic activity was significantly enhanced by the synergistic effect between RuO₂ nanoparticles and rGO. RuO₂/rGO had a low K_m of 0.068 mM and a high v_max of 1.228 × 10^-7 M·s^-1 towards TMB in the TMB-H₂O₂ catalytic oxidation system. In addition, the POD-like activity originating from the electron transfer mechanism was confirmed by cytochrome C (Cyt C) oxidation experiment. A colorimetric method based on RuO₂/rGO heterostructures was developed with good sensitivity and selectivity for glucose detection with a limit of detection of 3.34 μM and a linear range of 0-1500 μM. The RuO₂/rGO heterostructures have potential applications in the biomedical areas, such as biosensor and diagnostics.

CunO/Au heterostructure dendrimer anchored on Cu foam as dual functional catalytic nanozyme for glucose sensing by enzyme mimic cascade reaction

Multifunctional catalytic performance plays a crucial role in bio-applications through the diversity and durability of artificial nanozymes. An effective synergy with sufficient accessible active sites and high specific surface area is a challenge for composite catalysts, especially to avoid uncontrollable aggregation and structural instability. Here, we fabricated a Cu_nO/Au heterostructure dendrimer on copper foam (Cu_nO/Au HD/CF) as dual functional catalytic nanozyme to achieve enzyme mimic cascade reactions for efficient colorimetric analysis. A highly porous CF skeleton-based CuO nanowire array (CuO NWA) with a large specific surface area supported an efficient load capacity to assemble sufficient Cu_nO/Au HD by electrodeposition. The bimetallic Au-Cu nanozyme successfully achieved an oxidase-like and peroxidase-like cascade catalysis by a target-responsive sensing mechanism. Due to the confirmed catalytic performance of selectivity, anti-interference ability, and reproducibility, a Cu_nO/Au HD/CF-based quantitative analytical method was developed for glucose detection with a wide linear range and considerable detection limit of 8.4 μM. The robust nonenzymatic catalytic strategy for colorimetric detection not only confirmed the dual functional catalytic activity of Cu_nO/Au HD/CF, but also showed great potential for applications in clinical diagnostics and biochemical analysis.