Preparation of novel nanostructured WO3/CuMnO2 p-n heterojunction nanocomposite for photoelectrochemical detection of nitrofurazone

Abstract

Herein this research, a visible light active tungsten oxide/copper manganate (WO₃/CuMnO₂) p-n heterojunction nanocomposite was prepared and has been applied for a signal on photoelectrochemical sensing of antibiotic nitrofurazone (NFZ). Firstly, the n-WO₃ nanotiles were synthesized from the cetrimonium bromide (CTAB) assisted hydrothermal method and the p-CuMnO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized by using the ultrasound-assisted hydrothermal method. The photoelectrochemical NFZ sensing performance of WO₃/CuMnO₂ nanocomposite was 1.9 times higher than that of as-synthesized pure WO₃ nanotiles. The resulting higher photoelectrochemical performance of the nanocomposite is due to more visible light absorption ability and synergy from p-n heterojunction formation. The designed WO₃/CuMnO₂ nanocomposite sensor gives satisfactory photocurrent signals for the detection of NFZ in the range of 0.015-32 μM with the detection limit (LOD) of 1.19 nM. The practical applicability of the nanocomposite sensor was monitored in pork liver and tap water samples.

Keywords: Nitrofurazone; P-n junction photoelectrode; Photoelectrochemical sensor; WO(3) nanotiles; WO(3)/CuMnO(2).