ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Polythiophene-based MWCNTCOOH@RGO nanocomposites as a modified glassy carbon electrode for the electrochemical detection of Hg(II) ions

Hanaa H. AL-Refai, Aisha A. Ganash, and Mahmoud A. Hussein

Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

E-mail: aganash@kau.edu.sa

Received: 22 June 2021  Accepted: 5 September 2021

Abstract:

In this work, a new nanocomposite, polythiophene (PTH)/carboxylic acid-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTCOOH) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO), was prepared by an in situ oxidative polymerization route with different mass ratios (2%, 5%, 10%, and 20%). The synthesized PTH/MWCNTCOOH-RGO were then used to modify a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) to construct a voltammetric sensor for sensitive detection of Hg(II). The modified polymers were described by different microscopic, spectroscopic, and thermal analysis techniques. Electrochemical features of the new electrodes were identified by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) techniques. The PTH/MWCNTCOOH-RGO (10%)/GCE exhibited high performance for Hg(II) detection compared to other nanocomposites. The PTH/MWCNTCOOH-RGO (10%)/GCE showed a low detection limit (0.009 µM); wide linear range (0.1–25 µM); and excellent stability, reproducibility, and selectivity. The practical application of the PTH/MWCNTCOOH-RGO (10%)/GCE was confirmed by the detection of Hg(II) in a tap water sample, and the recovery was between 110.7 and 96.79%.

Graphic abstract

Keywords: Polythiophene; MWCNTCOOH; Reduced graphene oxide; Hg(II) detection; Voltammetric sensor

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-021-01864-9

Chemical Papers 76 (2) 797–812 (2022)