The preparation of NiCo2O4 nanoboulders and their application in the electrochemical detection of ofloxacin drug

A sensitive electroactive platform relies directly upon the efficient and conductive interface. This work offers a simple and effective method for synthesizing NiCo₂O₄ using CTAB surfactant, suited for trace-level antibiotic detection. The route realized the controlled growth of tiny NiCo₂O₄ nanoboulders with an exposed interface. A comparative evaluation of the bimetallic nanostructures with their pristine compositional counterparts, i.e., NiO and Co₃O₄, supports its superior electrochemical characteristics based on the synergism of strong redox activity and conductivity from the bimetallic components. The NiCo₂O₄ nanoboulders exhibited strong electrochemical activity when configured as electrode material for detecting ofloxacin (OFL), a common antibiotic. The sensor exhibited excellent working linearity in a low-concentration range of 0.01–5 ​μM with a detection limit of 1 ​× ​10⁻³ ​μM for OFL. The kinetics of the NiCo₂O₄ further supported the electrocatalytic oxidation of OFL to be diffusion controlled with an estimated diffusion coefficient of 2.03310⁻⁶ ​cm² ​s⁻¹. Moreover, the constructed sensor is applicable for detecting OFL from environmental samples, reflecting its workability in complex real-environment.