Directly formed Ni(OH)2/Co(OH)2 on CuO nanowires enable ultrasensitive non‑enzymatic glucose detection
摘要
Diabetes mellitus remains a critical global health challenge, driving the urgent need for precise, reliable, and cost-effective glucose monitoring technologies. In this study, a binder-free hierarchical electrode is developed by integrating nickel and cobalt hydroxide nanoparticles onto copper oxide nanowire arrays directly grown on a three-dimensional copper foam substrate. The electrode is fabricated via a facile combination of chemical oxidation, thermal transformation, and electrochemical deposition, resulting in a structurally robust and highly porous architecture with strong interfacial integration. The CuO nanowire framework provides continuous electron transport pathways and a large electrochemically active surface area, while the incorporated Ni and Co-based hydroxides introduce abundant redox-active sites that enable efficient glucose oxidation in alkaline medium. The optimized Ni-rich electrode exhibits superior sensing performance, delivering dual linear response ranges of 1.70 µM–0.43 mM and 3.0–6.9 mM, along with high sensitivities of 17372 and 132.62 µA mM−1 cm−2 and low detection limits of 0.15 and 19.7 µM, respectively. Notably, the sensor covers the clinically relevant glucose concentration range from hypoglycemic to hyperglycemic levels, indicating its potential for future physiological glucose monitoring. Moreover, the electrode exhibits excellent anti-interference capability, repeatability, and good long-term stability, demonstrating its reliable electrochemical sensing performance. These findings offer a simple, efficient, and scalable route toward the development of high-performance non-enzymatic glucose sensors.