In Situ Grown PEDOT/Cerium Sesquisulfide Nanohybrids via Interfacial Strategy for High-Performance Uric Acid Sensing on Conductive Carbon Yarns: An Alternative to Conventional Protocols

Conventional synthetic strategies for cerium sulfide/conducting polymer hybrids often rely on energy-intensive processes involving high temperatures, prolonged reaction times, and harsh chemical oxidants, which can limit material uniformity and scalability. A sustainable liquid/liquid interface approach was developed to synthesize PEDOT/Ce2S3 (PCS) nanocomposites in a butanol/water system under ambient conditions. Leveraging the inherent oxidative capability of Ce4+, the method enables simultaneous EDOT polymerization and Ce2S3 nucleation without external oxidants or elevated temperatures, yielding uniformly integrated inorganic-polymer hybrids. Chemical nature, crystallinity, and morphology investigations confirmed the formation of orthorhombic Ce2S3 within a well-dispersed conductive PEDOT matrix. Complementary surface area and thermal analyses revealed increased surface area and enhanced thermal stability relative to pristine PEDOT, highlighting the composite’s improved robustness. Integration of PCS nanocomposites onto conductive carbon yarns yielded a flexible electrode platform with rapid electron-transfer kinetics, enabling highly sensitive UA detection (LOD = 83 nM) with excellent selectivity and stability in complex matrices, including human urine and blood serum. These findings affirm the practical applicability of the composite for clinical diagnostics and demonstrate the broader potential of nanoparticles of rare-earth element/polymer hybrids in advanced biosensing and other applications.