Pd nanoparticles/multiwalled carbon nanotubes electrode system for voltammetric sensing of tyrosine.

A facile and quick synthesis of palladium decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes is presented in this work. The developed protocol allowed a quasi-homogeneous distribution of the metal nanoparticles on the surface of the nanotubes, and a controlled size of the nanoparticles in a range between 3.5 and 4.5 nm. After the characterization of the hybrid nanocomposite a first attempt on a possible application was made. The preliminary test, an ink-like nanocomposite as a modifier on the surface of a carbon screen-printed electrode, was performed in order to detect L-Tyrosine. Preliminary results are promising. A catalytic effect on the oxidation peak of the L-Tyrosine was shown and furthermore a low limit of detection, 1.46 x 10(-10) M, was reached.