Poly(ionic liquids)/reduced graphene oxide miniemulsion polymers as effective support for immobilization of Ag nanoparticles and its amperometric sensing of L-cysteine.

A multi-layered catalyst based on poly [1-vinyl-3-ethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide][Veim] [TFSA] and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), with high loading capacity for immobilization of silver nanoparticles was prepared. Poly(ionic liquids) (PIL):rGO nanocomposite was prepared through a miniemulsion polymerization process. Functionalization of rGO with PIL avoids metal leaching because the PIL-rGO nanocomposite provides amount of specific binding sites to anchor and grow silver nanoparticles on rGO surface. A non-enzymatic L-cysteine sensor was constructed based on the resultant nanohybrid for the first time. The modified sensor presents attractive analytical features such as super electrocatalytic activity, remarkably low detection limit (6 nM, S/N = 3), wide determination range (0.1-500 µM) and excellent selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]