Flexible Free-Standing CuxO/Ag2O (x = 1, 2) Nanowires Integrated with Nanoporous Cu-Ag Network Composite for Glucose Sensing

To improve glucose electrocatalytic performance, one efficient manner is to develop a novel Cu-Ag bimetallic composite with fertile porosity and unique architecture. Herein, the self-supported electrode with CuxO/Ag2O (x = 1, 2) nanowires grown in-situ on a nanoporous Cu-Ag network (CuxO/Ag2O@NP-CuAg) has been successfully designed by a facile two-step approach. The integrated hierarchical porous structure, the tip-converged CuxO/Ag2O nanowires combined with the interconnected porous conductive substrate, are favorable to provide more reactive sites and improve ions or electrons transportation. Compared with monometallic Cu2O nanowires integrated with nanoporous Cu matrix (Cu2O@NP-Cu), the bimetallic CuxO/Ag2O@NP-CuAg composites exhibit the enhanced electrocatalytic performance for glucose. Moreover, the higher sensitivity of ~1.49 mA mM&minus
1 cm&minus
2 in conjunction with a wider linear range of 17 mM for the CuxO/Ag2O@NP-CuAg electrode anodized for 10 min are attributed to the synergistic effect of porous structure and bimetallic CuxO/Ag2O nanowires. Particularly, the integrated CuxO/Ag2O@NP-CuAg composites possess good flexibility, which has been reported for the first time. Accordingly, the CuxO/Ag2O@NP-CuAg with excellent glucose electrocatalytic performance and good flexibility is promising to further develop as a candidate electrode material of glucose sensors.