Unblocking the potential of Ni-based metallic glasses for glucose sensing through surface porous engineering

Abstract

Metallic glasses (MGs) are recognized for their remarkable electrochemical activity, but their practical applications are constrained by the challenges in efficient surface engineering and an incomplete understanding of how their non-periodic atomic structures influence electrochemical performance. In this work, we report a novel electrochemical glucose sensing material, Ni₈₀P₁₄B₆, and address the inherent limitations of MGs by fabricating a highly active porous structure through chemical etching. This etching process significantly improves the electrochemical performance by increasing the electrochemically active surface area and facilitating charge transfer kinetics. Advanced structural characterization studies using the synchrotron pair distribution function (PDF) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) reveal a slight increase in atomic density while preserving short- to medium-range atomic ordering. The formation of oxidized Ni species and an optimized local Ni environment are found to promote charge transfer, thereby contributing to the high glucose sensing performance. This work not only highlights a promising approach to improve the performance of MG-based sensors but also deepens our understanding of the interplay between the atomic structure and electrochemical activity, offering new insights for the rational design of high-performance electrochemically active MG materials.