Boosting electrochemical detection of gabapentin via electrodeposition nanoarchitectonics of hierarchical NiCo₂S₄/NiCo-LDH nanoneedles
摘要
A novel electrochemical sensor was developed by electrodepositing a NiCo₂S₄/NiCo layered double hydroxide (NiCo-LDH) nanocomposite directly onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The synthesized nanocomposite exhibited a distinctive nanoneedle morphology, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which provides a high surface area and enhanced active sites favorable for electrochemical reactions. Comprehensive characterization using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) verified the successful formation of a pure, hierarchical NiCo₂S₄/NiCo-LDH structure with well-defined oxidation states of Ni, Co, and S. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) revealed that the modified electrode significantly improved electron transfer kinetics and electroactive surface area compared to the bare electrode. Utilizing differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), the sensor demonstrated excellent sensitivity, selectivity, and a wide linear range for gabapentin detection in alkaline media, with a low detection limit. The sensor also showed remarkable stability and reproducibility, proving its practical applicability for gabapentin quantification in pharmaceutical and biological samples. This work highlights the effectiveness of the electrodeposition method in fabricating nanoneedle-structured NiCo₂S₄/NiCo-LDH composites for high-performance electrochemical sensing applications.