https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/s10051-025-00908-3
Regular Article - Mesoscopic and Nanoscale Systems
Studying the effect of pH optimization on the performance of copper oxide electrodes for glucose sensor applications
1
Applied Sciences Department, Applied Physics Branch, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq
2
Applied Sciences Department, Laser Science and Technology Branch, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq
3
Laboratory of Micro-Optoelectronics and Nanostructures (LR99ES29), Scientific Faculty, University of Monastir, 5019, Monastir, Tunisia
4
Physics Department, Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen
a
adawiya.j.haider@uotechnology.edu.iq
Received:
16
February
2025
Accepted:
19
March
2025
Published online:
5
April
2025
This study aims to enhance the performance of non-enzymatic glucose sensors by optimizing the pH during the fabrication of copper oxide (CuO) electrodes. The electrodes were synthesized using the chemical bath deposition technique at two different pH values (10 and 12), and their structural and electrochemical properties were analyzed using XRD, SEM, AFM, FTIR, and PL techniques. The results showed that the electrode fabricated at pH 10 exhibited a high sensitivity of 21.488 mA mM⁻1 cm⁻2 and a low detection limit of 1.1 mM, compared to the pH 12 electrode, which had a lower sensitivity of 2.8771 mA mM⁻1 cm⁻2 and a higher detection limit of 14.2 mM. SEM analysis revealed that the pH 10 electrode had particle sizes ranging from 34.34 to 59.53 nm, whereas the pH 12 electrode had slightly smaller particles ranging from 31.66 to 53.31 nm, with a more uniform distribution. AFM analysis showed that the surface roughness was 41.47 nm for the pH 10 electrode and 209.5 nm for the pH 12 electrode, indicating significant differences in surface morphology. These findings demonstrate that controlling the fabrication pH is an effective strategy to improve the performance of non-enzymatic sensors, making them a promising alternative to conventional enzymatic sensors in terms of efficiency, stability, and cost-effectiveness.
Copyright comment Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to EDP Sciences, SIF and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
