Facile synthesis of chiral C-doped cerium oxide nanoparticle assemblies in the presence of phenylalanine-derived surfactant and their non-enzymatic electrocatalysis of glucose

Designing the chirality of inorganic nanostructures, such as individual nanoparticles and their assemblies, will offer a new potent platform for bioanalysis, chiral catalysis and chiral sensors etc.. Herein, the chiral C-doped cerium oxide nanoparticle assemblies were successfully synthesized by inducing an amino acid-based surfactant (N-(2-hydroxydodecyl)- L -phenylalanine) in a hydrothermal process. The chirality of the C-CeO 2 nanoparticle assemblies originates from the asymmetric geometries of CeO 2 nanoparticles, which were assembled by the doped linkage of carbon species from the synchronously decomposed surfactant during the hydrothermal process. The resultant C-CeO 2 nanoparticle assemblies demonstrate unique chiral features, and their chirality can be regulated by adjusting the surfactant concentration. Based on the chiral selectivity, CeO 2, as a chiral artificial nanoenzyme, can show excellent electrocatalytic activity in the process of glucose oxidation. The chiral C-CeO 2 nanoparticles modified electrode could detect glucose in the wide range of 0.60 μM–2.00 mM, and a low detection limit of 1.359 μM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, the as-fabricated electrodes demonstrated good stability and an interference-free performance in real samples. The chiral C-CeO 2 nanomaterials will promise the novel application in the field of chiral catalysis, enantiospecific separation and chiral electrochemical sensors. The chiral C-CeO 2 nanoparticle assemblies have been facilely fabricated by inducing an amino acid-derived surfactant during the hydrothermal process for the first time, and the formation mechanism of the chiral C-CeO 2 nanoparticle assemblies was proposed based on the experimental results. • The chiral C-CeO 2 nanoparticle assemblies were successfully prepared by inducing an amino acid-derived surfactant during the hydrothermal process. The helical surfactant assemblies firstly provided a template for Ce 3+ -precursors, and then were decomposed to form the linkage of carbon species among the CeO 2 particles. • The chirality at the level of the C-CeO 2 nanoparticle assemblies originates from the chiral geometries of the nanoparticles, which were assembled into particular patterns with large specific surface area by the formed linkage of carbon species on the surface of CeO 2 particles. • The chiral C-CeO 2 modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards glucose oxidation, and can be used for glucose detection in real human serum samples with good reliablity. This opens up opportunities for chiral electrochemical sensors.