Silver nanoparticles decorated phthalocyanine doped polyaniline for the simultaneous electrochemical detection of hydroquinone and catechol

Abstract

In this proposed study, the new electrocatalyst was synthesized by incorporating the supramolecular electrocatalyst tetra amino cobalt phthalocyanine (TACoPc) into the conducting polyaniline (PANI) and which was subsequently used to decorate silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Ag+ solution on the surface of TACoPc/PANI composite to form a supramolecular hybrid system. The decoration of AgNPs on the surface of TACoPc/PANI was carried out in an aqueous media at room temperature and which was confirmed by various spectroscopic techniques. The synthesized catalyst AgNPs decorated TACoPc doped PANI (TACoPc/PANI/AgNPs) modified the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) used to construct the electrochemical sensor for simultaneous detection of hydroquinone (HQ) and catechol (CC). The modified electrode showed the two distinct peaks for HQ and CC in CV analysis with a considerable potential difference of 0.080 V vs SHE. The presence of central cobalt metal in TACoPc macromolecular electrocatalyst mediates the oxidation of HQ and CC, which was successively enhanced by the incorporation of conducting PANI and AgNPs. The sensor exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity with good stability, selectivity, reproducibility, and a very low limit of detection in the electrochemical sensing of HQ and CC in a 0.1 M H2SO4 electrolyte solution.