Analytical Sciences

Molten-salt-composite of Pyrite and Silver Nanoparticle as Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Peroxide Sensing

Jifan ZHAO,* Yue WANG,* Ting WANG,** Yasushi HASEBE,*** and Zhiqiang ZHANG*

*School of Chemical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Liaoning, 185 Qianshan Middle Road, High-tech Zone, Anshan, Liaoning, 114051, China
**The North United Cable Network. Inc Anshan Branch, No. 5, 219 Road, Tiedong Zone, Anshan, Liaoning, 114000, China
***Department of Life Science and Green Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Saitama Institute of Technology, 1690 Fusaiji, Fukaya, Saitama 369-0293, Japan

A conductive molten salt was synthesized by using natural pyrite (PR) and silver nanoparticles (Ag) at 450°C using a molten salt method. The molten-salt-composite (PR/Ag) was used as an electrocatalyst to detect hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The as-prepared PR/Ag possessed higher conductivity than natural PR. It exhibited a high sensitivity of 603.54 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻² for the detection of H₂O₂, with a linear range of 0.1 to 30 mM, and a detection limit of 0.02 mM (S/N = 3). In addition, the PR/Ag sensor exhibited good selectivity to H₂O₂, resisting interference from other potential interferent compounds (e.g. uric acid, glucose, fructose and common metal ions (K⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺)). The approach is considered to provide a sensitive, selective, and reliable tool for highly detection of H₂O₂.

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