Nickel-doped barium oxide nanoclusters as efficient electrode for the detection of 4-nitrophenol

Abstract

This study presents the synthesis, characterization, and application of Ni-doped barium oxide nanoclusters (BaNiO₃NCs), as a highly efficient material for the 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) sensing. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that the formation of desired crystalline structure while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provided insights into the morphology and size distribution of the nanoparticles. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed the successful incorporation of Ni ions into the barium metal oxide lattice. The chemical bonds present in the synthesized substance were further explored through characterization using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT IR). Comprehensive details regarding the elemental oxidation states and surface chemical composition were obtained via use of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Zeta potential analysis clarified the surface charge features, and UV–Vis spectroscopy was utilized to study the optical properties of the prepared material. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was also performed to evaluate the material's thermal stability. Through electrochemical experiments, the sensing capability of BaNiO₃NCs/GCE towards 4-NP detection was assessed. The results showed a promising 3.70 μA μM⁻¹ cm⁻² sensitivity, 2.71 μM detection limit, and stability of 15 μM for 24 days. The synthesized material's structure-property correlations are comprehensively explained by this multimodal characterization technique, underscoring the material's promise for environmental monitoring and pollution detection applications.