Low-Cost Nanocarbon-Based Peroxidases from Graphite and Carbon Fibers

Abstract

A low-cost and facile preparation of water-soluble carbon nanomaterials from commercial available graphite and polypropylene carbon fibers was achieved. N-doped graphene quantum dot was also prepared as a comparable agent. The resultant carbon nanomaterials were characterized by vital techniques such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis absorption, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and Raman spectra. The prepared carbon nanomaterials can make hydrogen peroxide degradation produce hydroxyl radicals, thus possess intrinsic peroxidase-like activity for colorimetric and UV-vis absorption detection of hydrogen peroxide. These carbon nanomaterials exhibit excellent sensitivity toward hydrogen peroxide with the limit of detection as low as 0.024 mM (by Carbon nanomaterials-1 from carbon fibers), 0.0042 mM (by Carbon nanomaterials-2 from graphite) and 0.014 mM (by Carbon nanomaterials-3 from nitrogen doped graphene oxide), respectively. The practical use of these carbon nanomaterials for phenolic compounds removal in aqueous solution is also demonstrated successfully. The extraordinary catalytic performance and low cost of these carbon nanomaterials make them a powerful tool for a wide range of potential applications.

Keywords

• carbon nanomaterials
• nanozyme
• peroxidase mimetics
• hydrogen peroxide
• removal of phenolic compounds