Microwave-assisted synthesis of nitrogen and boron co-doped graphene and its application for enhanced electrochemical detection of hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

A microwave-assisted strategy was developed for the synthesis of nitrogen and boron co-doped graphene (NB-G) with a hierarchical framework, and the NB-G was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The resultant NB-G network provided multidimensional electron transport pathways, and was used in the electrocatalytic reduction for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) sensing, exhibiting an excellent response and stability. The NB-G modified electrochemical sensor showed a linear range from 0.5 μM to 5 mM with a detection limit of 0.05 μM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. This high performance was attributed to both the beneficial structure of NB-G and synergetic effects arising from the co-doping of N and B in graphene. The proposed biosensor was also used to achieve real-time quantitative detection of H₂O₂ from living cells at the nanomolar level, which exhibited excellent electrochemical activity.