Developmental Lab on a 1,2-Dihydroxybenzene Biosensor by the Modification of a Glassy Carbon Electrode with Poly(3-Methylthiophene) (P3MT) Integrated with Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs)

This experiment is an extension of a previous lab involving green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using onion extract to modify bare carbon electrodes. In this lab, the incorporation of P3MT was grown electrochemically onto the working carbon electrode followed by the dropping of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto the P3MT carbon electrode surface as a sensor to detect a common 1,2-dihydroxybenzene (catechol). The modified P3MT-AgNPs electrode displayed good electrocatalytic activity with enhanced signal towards catechol in the presence of ascorbic acid without the requirement of prior separation by cyclic voltammetry. Further instrumental techniques utilized were ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to confirm success of the green synthesis with AgNPs and presence of the polymer P3MT -AgNPs.