Preparation and characterization of PANI@G/CWO nanocomposite for enhanced 2-nitrophenol sensing

A new material by polymer insertion via graphene oxide into cerium tungstate was prepared by very simple oxidation-reduction method. Aniline polymerization was done on the surface of graphene oxide (GO) which was reduced to graphene (G) simultaneously mixed with separately prepared inorganic matrices of cerium tungstate (Ce₂(WO₄)₃ (CWO)). PANI@G/CWO was characterized by various spectroscopic methods as SEM, FTIR, TGA, XRD and XPS to confirm its possibilities. Selective 2-nitrophenol sensor was fabricated on flat glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and PANI@G/CWO nanocomposites in the form of thin layer. It was found excellent sensitivity as well as long life spam with broad dynamic concentration range (LDR) that showed efficient electrochemical performance towards 2-nitrophenol on fabricated chemical sensor by PANI@G/CWO. The linear calibration curve (r² = 0.9914) with wide range of 2-nitrophenol concentration (1.0 nM–1.0 mM) was found having the detection limit of 0.87 nM while the sensitivity of the sensor was around 1.229 μ A μM⁻¹ cm⁻². It was introduced a new route for the development of a versatile phenolic sensor based on PANI@G/CWO nanocomposites by I–V method that is proved more selective and sensitive for environmental toxic materials.