Ultra-Sensitive Glucose Detection Using Copper Nanowires

The detection of glucose, which is important in the diagnosis of diabetes and quality control of fermentation and food, accounts for about 85% of the entire biosensor market. In this work, both enzymatic and non-enzymatic glucose biosensors were constructed on the basis of copper nanowires synthesized by wet chemistry. The as-prepared copper nanowires were then characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. In the mode of enzymatic glucose sensing, the reduction of hydrogen peroxide was first investigated. The limit of detection for hydrogen peroxide was 200 nM at -0.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl 3 M KCl) which provides a prospective route for the detection of glucose with the incorporation of glucose oxidase. In the mode of non-enzymatic glucose sensing, an impressive detection limit as low as 50 nM with a sensitivity of 5970 μA·cm^-2·mM^-1 was obtained.