A novel electrochemical sensor based on bimetallic metal–organic framework-derived porous carbon for detection of uric acid

We demonstrate a facile electrochemical sensor (CNCo/GCE) based on N,Co-doped porous carbon (CNCo) as electrode materials for detection of uric acid (UA). The porous carbon materials were prepared via the direct carbonization of bimetallic zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (BMZIFs) based on ZIF-8 and ZIF-67 with an appropriate molar ratio of Zn/Co at 900 °C in an N2 atmosphere. The properties of the BMZIFs and CNCo were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, and XPS. The electrochemical behaviors of the CNCo-modified electrode were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), impedance analysis (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and showed enhanced electrochemical catalytic activity toward UA. DPV was conducted for the determination of UA with a linear range of 2.0-110 μM and a low detection limit of 0.83 μM at an S/N = 3. Furthermore, the CNCo/GCE electrode showed good reproducibility and repeatability with RSDs of 3.07% and 3.26%, respectively. Additionally, the sensor was successfully employed to quantify UA in human serum samples with satisfactory recoveries, suggesting it is a promising candidate for biological applications.