Abstract

Au-loading SnO₂ hollow microtubes (Au-SnO₂-MTs) have been successfully prepared by the coaxial electrospinning method, where the sol solution containing poly-vinylpyrrolidone and metal salts were used as outer solution and paraffin was used as inner solution, respectively. The combined characterizations of scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction indicating the successful preparation of Au-SnO₂-MTs with the diameter of MTs about 500-600 nm, and the thickness of the hollow MTs about 70-80 nm. It is also found that the Au-SnO₂-MTs exhibit catalytic activity for electrochemical reduction of H₂O₂, leading to a non-enzymatic H₂O₂ sensor. The H₂O₂ sensor thus obtained shows the linear detection range from 10 μM to 1 mM (r = 0.997), and the detection limit about 0.60 μM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. Furthermore, the H₂O₂sensor also exhibits excellent selectivity for H₂O₂ in comparison to other normally co-existing electroactive species (such as dopamine, ascorbic acid, uric acid and glucose) and inorganic anions.