One-pot synthesis of graphene supported CuO nanorods for the electrochemical hydrazine sensor applications

Nanocomposites of cupric oxide (CuO) nanorods anchored on reduced graphene oxide (rGO/CuO) synthesized and applied as efficient catalysts in electrochemical hydrazine sensor applications. The simultaneous reduction of Cu²⁺ ions and GO were achieved through a single reducing agent citrate and the average diameter of anchored CuO nanorods was found to be 18 nm. The reduction of GO and formation of a complex of rGO with CuO were assessed on the basis of Raman and FT-IR spectroscopic techniques. The obtained diffraction patterns indicated a monoclinic structure for CuO nanorods which was not altered even after the anchoring process over rGO sheets. The electrocatalytic behavior of prepared nanostructures towards the oxidation of hydrazine was evaluated through cyclic voltammetry and amperometry techniques. The experimental results showed that the rGO/CuO composite exhibited a low detection limit of 9.8 nM, wide linear response range from 0.1 to 400 μM and a sensitivity of 3.87 μA/μM·cm². Furthermore, the fabricated sensors exhibited constructive characteristics, such as excellent selectivity, good reproducibility and long durability, which suggested their viability in applications as hydrazine sensors.