Reduced Graphene Oxide/Ruthenium Oxide Hexacyanoferrate Nanocomposite for Electrochemical Determination of Ethanol in Commercial Samples

Reduced graphene oxide/ruthenium oxide hexacyanoferrate (rGO/RuOHCF) modified electrode showed synergic activity between the materials attested by the increase of electrochemical current and stability. The preparation of the nanocomposite was made by a simple two-step electrochemical approach. The material structure was characterized by spectroscopic techniques (Raman, infrared and energy-dispersive X-ray) as well as its morphology by scanning electron microscopy and compared to the analogously prepared reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and ruthenium oxide hexacyanoferrate (RuOHCF) thin films spectra and images. The results suggest that the improvement of the nanocomposite electrochemical activity is generated by the well-distributed RuOHCF nanometric particles over high-surfaced graphene sheets. Ethanol electrochemical oxidation in the rGO/RuOHCF modified electrode was performed in 0.1 mol L-1 NaCl (pH = 1.5) solution and it showed an anodic current peak starting at 0.9 V. Scan rate tests exhibited a diffusion-controlled process not followed by any coupled chemical reaction. The determination of ethanol by amperometry coupled with batch injection analysis (BIA) system resulted in a wide linear range (20-400 mmol L-1) and good sensitivity (0.150 µA L mmol-1). The nanocomposite also showed application as an electrochemical sensor of ethanol in commercial samples mainly because of its easy preparation comparing to biosensors.