Au Nanospikes as a Non‐enzymatic Glucose Sensor: Exploring Morphological Changes with the Elaborated Chronoamperometric Method

Abstract There is a continuous increasing demand for more sensitive and selective non‐enzymatic glucose sensor applications ranging from medical diagnostics to food quality assurance. Here, we deposited gold nanostructures (referred to as Au nanospikes) on Au thin‐film substrates under different electrodeposition conditions in order to determine the optimal growth parameters to obtain an enhanced glucose sensor. A modified chronoamperometric technique was employed to determine the glucose electrooxidation and sensing capabilities of the developed Au nanospikes toward 20 µM—10 mM glucose concentrations. The sensing method used here allowed for accurate determination of glucose concentrations whilst providing reproducible and stable response profiles. The sensor produced a low detection limit of 20 µM, a very high sensitivity of 201 µA mM −1 ⋅ cm −2 compared to 16.19 µA mM −1 ⋅ cm −2 for the unmodified Au substrate. The sensor also showed good selectivity when analysed against common physiological contaminants that usually interfere with conventional sensors.