Polydopamine/Copper nanostars-modified carbon ceramic electrode for enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation and sensitive detection of ethanol

This study details the fabrication of a carbon ceramic electrode (CCE) modified with a polydopamine thin film decorated by copper star-shaped nanoparticles (StCu@PDA-CCE) and its application for ethanol fuel cell and sensing. The polydopamine layer electrodeposited by copper nanostars formed on the surface of the CCE and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrocatalytic performance of the modified electrode toward ethanol oxidation was investigated in an acidic medium via cyclic voltammetry. The modified CCE demonstrated a low ethanol oxidation potential of approximately 0.25 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for use as the anode in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs), evidenced by a significantly reduced overpotential. Additionally, a linear calibration curve was obtained for ethanol in the concentration range of 0.02 to 0.30 mM using square wave voltammetry, with a detection limit of 5.9 µM.