Covalent modification of multiwalled carbon nanotubes with neutral red for the fabrication of an amperometric hydrogen peroxide sensor

The nanoscale dimensions, graphitic surface chemistry and electronic properties of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) make them an ideal candidate for chemical and biochemical sensing. In this paper we explore a covalent chemical strategy for functionalization of MWNTs with neutral red through carbodiimide coupling between the primary amine of neutral red and carboxyl groups of the carbon nanotubes. The construction of an amperometric sensor was achieved by abrasive immobilization of the functionalized MWNTs on a paraffin impregnated graphite electrode followed by a coating of a thin film of nafion. The neutral red functionalized MWNTs were characterized by spectroscopic and electroanalytical methods. From the voltammetric studies, MWNTs were found to exhibit a higher accessible surface area in electrochemical reactions. The modified electrode exhibited stable electrocatalytic activity toward hydrogen peroxide reduction in a wide potential range. A significant decrease in overvoltage for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide, as well as a dramatic increase in the peak currents in comparison with a bare graphite electrode were observed. Such an ability of neutral red functionalized carbon nanotubes to promote the hydrogen peroxide electron transfer reaction with a short response time (< 4 s) and long-term stability, a low detection limit, an extended linear concentration range and a high sensitivity suggest great promise for dehydrogenase and oxidase based amperometric biosensors.