Synthesis of 2,3-Naphthalocyanine/ nickel hydroxide (2,3-Nc/Ni(OH)2) nanocomposite for uric acid electrochemical sensing

The sensitive and selective detection of uric acid (UA) is crucial for the early diagnosis of several neurological diseases/disorders in the human body. In this study, nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2 nanoparticles were synthesized using a wet chemical method and doped with 2,3-Naphthalocyanine (2,3-Nc) to form 2,3-Nc/Ni(OH)2 nanocomposite for the detection of UA. The morphologies of the synthesized nanomaterials were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), confirming the successful formation of the nanostructures. UV–visible spectroscopy (UV) was used to ascertain the optical characteristics of the nanocomposite. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) identified the functional groups present, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses validated the crystallinity of the synthesized nanomaterials. The UA sensors were fabricated by depositing Ni(OH)2, 2,3-Nc, and 2,3-Nc/Ni(OH)2 nanocomposite onto the screen-printed gold electrode (SPAuE). Cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and square wave voltammetry (SWV) were used to evaluate the UA electrochemical sensing performance of the bare SPAuE, SPAuE/2,3-Nc, SPAuE/Ni(OH)2, and SPAuE/2,3-Nc/Ni(OH)2 electrodes. Using SWV, the SPAuE/2,3-Nc/Ni(OH)2 electrode achieved a low limit of detection (LOD) of 14.16 μM with a linear range of 7.65 μM to 513.67 μM. The sensor’s selectivity and stability were also assessed. The applicability of the UA sensor was tested in spinach and baked beans samples through standard addition and recovery of known UA concentration. The high sensitivity of the porous 2,3-Nc/Ni(OH)2 nanocomposite highlights its potential for the sensing of other biomolecules.