Development of an FeO@Cu silicate based sensing platform for the electrochemical sensing of dopamine.

Abnormal levels of dopamine (DA) in body fluids is an indication of serious health issues, hence development of highly sensitive platforms for the precise detection of DA is highly essential. Herein, we demonstrate an FeO@Cu silicate based electrochemical sensing platform for the detection of DA. Morphology and BET analysis shows the formation of ∼320 nm sized sea urchin-like FeO@Cu silicate core-shell nanostructures with a 174.5 m g surface area. Compared to FeO and FeO@SiO, the FeO@Cu silicate urchins delivered enhanced performance towards the electrochemical sensing of DA in neutral pH. The FeO@Cu silicate sensor has a 1.37 μA μM cm sensitivity, 100-700 μM linear range and 3.2 μM limit of detection (LOD). In addition, the proposed FeO@Cu silicate DA sensor also has good stability, selectivity, reproducibility and repeatability. The presence of Cu in FeO@Cu silicate and the negatively charged surface of the Cu silicate shell play a vital role in achieving high selectivity and sensitivity during DA sensing. The current investigation not only represents the development of a highly selective DA sensor but also directs towards the possibility for the fabrication of other Cu silicate based core-shell nanostructures for the precise detection of DA.