Abstract
Carbon ceramic material (SiO2/C) was prepared using the sol-gel technique. Copper oxide was in situ synthesized on the pores of the matrix, to ensure homogenous distribution of the electroactive species in the matrix pores. To enhance the conductivity of material, the SiO2/C/CuO was modified with benzimidazolium-1-acetate ionic liquid. The surface area (SBET 432.56m2/g) and pore volume (0.90cm3/g) of the material were calculated from BET analysis. SEM images showed compactness of materials, having no phase segregation within the magnification used. The structure of ionic liquid was confirmed using NMR and FTIR analysis. The electrodes as a pressed disk fabricated from SiO2/C, SiO2/C/CuO, and SiO2/C/CuO/IL materials were tested as an electrochemical sensor for catechol determination. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy has revealed that the SiO2/C/CuO/IL-based sensor assists the charge transfer owing to electron rich density, resonance, and conductance of ionic liquid structural moiety. SiO2/C/CuO/IL electrode exhibits excellent sensitivity, linear response range and low limit of detection (LOD) of 712μAμmol−1dm3cm−2, 0.2mM–10mM and 0.7×10−8molL−1, respectively. The sensor was also tested for the determination of catechol in real samples and gives very good results for its determination.
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•We synthesized carbon ceramic SiO2/C materials and modified with CuO and ionic liquid.•Non-enzymatic sensor for catechol•The sensor showed a highly sensitive and selective response for the assay of catechol in water samples.•The sensor did not show any inference from co-existing species present in industrial effluent.