Ultrasensitive and Highly Selective NiTe as a Nonenzymatic Glucose Sensor at Extremely Low Working Potential.

Developing Nonenzymatic glucose biosensors has recently been at the center of attention owing to their potential application in implantable and continuous glucose monitoring systems. In this article, nickel telluride nanostructure with the generic formula of NiTe has been reported as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for glucose oxidation, functional at a low operating potential. NiTe nanostructures were prepared by two synthesis methods, direct electrodeposition on the electrode and hydrothermal method. The electrodeposited NiTe exhibited a wide linear range of response corresponding to glucose oxidation exhibiting a high sensitivity of 41.615 mA cm mM and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.43 μM. The hydrothermally synthesized NiTe, on the other hand, also exhibits an ultrahigh sensitivity of 35.213 mA cm mM and an LOD of 0.38 μM. The observation of high efficiency for glucose oxidation for both NiTe electrodes irrespective of the synthesis method further confirms the enhanced intrinsic property of the material toward glucose oxidation. In addition to high sensitivity and low LOD, NiTe electrocatalyst also has good selectivity and long-term stability in a 0.1 M KOH solution. Since it is operative at a low applied potential of 0.35 V vs Ag|AgCl, interference from other electrochemically active species is reduced, thus increasing the accuracy of this sensor.