A porous flower-like boron and nitrogen co-doped diamond film electrode for the enhanced detection of copper ions

Abstract

In this study, a new sensor of porous flower-like boron and nitrogen co-doped diamond (PFBND) was successfully manufactured without using a mask or reactive ion etching. A PFBND electrode was constructed based on the diamond growth mode. PFBND was obtained by removing the non-diamond carbon (NDC) from the PFBND/NDC composite. A PFBND film with a larger surface area and better electrochemical properties was obtained. The PFBND sensor exhibited significant advantages for detecting trace Cu²⁺ using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The finite element numerical method was used to get the electrolyte current intensity vector near the PFBND tip. The limit of detection was low at 0.28 µg L⁻¹, and a broad linear range of 1–100 µg L⁻¹ was achieved. The sensor exhibited excellent selectivity for detecting copper ions against common interfering ions, ensuring reliable detection in complex environmental samples. Its practical applicability was validated through recovery tests.