Synergistic MXene@NiO-ZnO heterostructures via dual-pressure hydrothermal synthesis for high-performance photoelectrochemical glucose sensing

초록

The development of efficient, scalable, and highly sensitive photoelectrochemical (PEC) systems is critical for advancing non-enzymatic glucose sensing and other catalytic applications. In this study, a MXene@NiO-ZnO (NMZ) composite was synthesized via an advanced dual-pressure hydrothermal method, overcoming limitations of conventional synthesis techniques. This innovative approach combines dual-pressure regulation and active stirring to achieve homogeneous distribution of Ni2+ and Zn2+ cations with CO32− and OH⁻ anions onto MXene, resulting in a hierarchical structure with a high surface area (72.4 m2/g) and enhanced electrochemical active surface area (2 cm2). The composite demonstrates superior UV–visible absorption and efficient photogenerated charge separation, facilitated by a robust internal electric field at the ZnO/NiO (NZ) interface. MXene integration eliminates Schottky barriers, ensuring seamless electron flow and efficient charge transport to the electrode. NiO's valence band potential (2.45 eV vs. NHE) promotes OH⁻ radical formation and Ni(OH)2 generation, critical for glucose oxidation. As a PEC glucose sensor, the NMZ composite demonstrates outstanding performance, achieving high sensitivity (7651.2 μA•mM−1•cm−2), rapid response time (4 s), and excellent reproducibility, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 5.21 %, significantly outperforming conventional NZ composites. These findings demonstrate the potential of NMZ composites in advancing PEC-based sensing technologies and other catalytic applications. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l.

키워드