Pd-Ni alloy nanoparticle/carbon nanofiber composites: preparation, structure, and superior electrocatalytic properties for sugar analysis.

Novel Pd-Ni alloy nanoparticle/carbon nanofiber (Pd-Ni/CNF) composites were successfully prepared by a simple method involving electrospinning of precursor polyacrylonitrile/Pd(acac)2/Ni(acac)2 nanofibers, followed by a thermal process to reduce metals and carbonize polyacrylonitrile. The nanostructures of the resulting Pd-Ni/CNF nanocomposites were carefully examined by a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), high-angle annular dark field (HAADF)-scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). For all the nanocomposites, the Pd-Ni alloy nanoparticles (NPs) were dispersed uniformly and embedded firmly within the framework or on the surface of CNF. The size, composition, and alloy homogeneity of the Pd-Ni alloy NPs could be readily tailored by controlling the feed ratio of metal precursors and the thermal treatment process. Cyclic voltammetric studies showed enhanced redox properties for Pd-Ni/CNF-based electrodes relative to the Ni-metal electrode and significantly improved electrocatalytic activity for sugar (e.g., glucose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose) oxidation. The application potential of Pd-Ni/CNF-based electrodes in flow systems for sugars detection was explored. A very low limit of detection for sugars (e.g., 7-20 nM), high resistance to surface fouling, excellent signal stability and reproducibility, and a very wide detection linear range (e.g., 0.03-800 µM) were revealed for this new type of Pd-Ni/CNF nanocomposite as the detecting electrode. Such detection performances of Pd-Ni/CNF-based electrodes are superior to those of state-of-the-art nonenzymatic sugar detectors that are commercially available or known in the literature.