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We designed a bi-metallic Co-Ni/BTC/4,4′-BiPy metal organic frameworks (MOFs) as an electrode material for the electrochemical detection of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. The bi-metallic MOFs were synthesized by a solvothermal method. Following this, the bimetallic MOFs were modified with BTC and amine rich 4,4′-BiPy to improve charge transfer kinetics through non-covalent π – π interaction. This modified electrode was employed as a sensing platform for the simultaneous electrochemical detection of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. The MOFs modified platform exhibited a 10–50 μM linear range with a limit of detection of 0.724 μM ± 0.128 (N = 3) and 0.815 μM ± 0.124 (N = 3), a sensitivity of 0.583 and 0.505 μA μM−1 cm−2 corresponding to epinephrine and nor-epinephrine detection. Finally, the electrochemical sensor was tested in blood and urine samples spiked with known concentrations of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. Results confirmed the usefulness of the proposed platform for the detection of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine in clinical samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon (Si) -based materials have been identified as a potential alternative anode owing to their superior theoretical capacity compared to conventional graphitic carbon. Nevertheless, the huge volume change (approximately 300%) that occurs while cycling still hampers this system from 100% practical applications. Silicon-monoxide (SiOx)-based anode materials, on the other hand, are being explored extensively due to their unique properties such as high theoretical capacity, formation of Li2O and LiSiO4 during initial lithiation process that act as a natural volume buffer matrix to accommodate volume changes and formation of a stable solid electrolyte interphase layer, which improves the cyclability and capacity retention. Although poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF) is widely used as a binder, the weak van der Waals forces between PVdF and silicon-based particles fail to bind particles effectively, when substantial volume change occurs. Herein, we prepare a series of SiOx-Si-C electrodes with different binders poly (acrylic acid) (PAA), carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC) and their blends as binder. The prepared polymeric blends are subjected to thermal, morphological, mechanical and physico-chemical analyses. The Li/ SiOx-Si-C cell assembled with 100% PAA as binder delivered a discharge capacity of 1908 mAh g−1 on its first cycle and 724 mAh g−1 on its 100th cycle with a fade in capacity of 11.8 mAh g−1 per cycle. Upon the incorporation of CMC in the PAA blend the cycling performance was found to be poor. Among the various investigated compositions, the electrode with sole poly (acrylic acid) as a binder offers the highest discharge capacity and this is attributed to the high concentration of the functional (carboxylic) group which forms strong hydrogen bonds with - OH groups on the SiOx or carbon surface. The interfacial properties of the polymeric binders are thoroughly investigated by spectroscopies and electrochemical tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WS2 quantum dots (WS2 QDs) were prepared by sonication assisted liquid exfoliation in dimethyl formamide (DMF) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The as-prepared WS2 QDs were characterized by spectroscopic techniques such as UV-visible, photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy. Further, the crystallinity was identified by XRD and the surface morphology by HR-TEM. WS2 QDs were then utilized as a platform for the electrochemical detection of xanthine and it exhibited a limit of detection and sensitivity of 0.118 μM (S/N = 3) and 7.872 μA cm−2 μM−1, respectively. Further, the proposed sensor was found to be linear in the 1–100 μM range. Hence, it is evident that WS2 QDs can be employed as an electrochemical platform for various sensing and bio-sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction for 'WS2 quantum dots harvesting via sonication assisted liquid exfoliation for the electrochemical sensing of xanthine' by Arunkumar Sakthivel et al., New J. Chem., 2022, 46, 17066–17072, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2NJ03446H. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]