MnO 2 /graphene supported on Ni foam: an advanced electrode for electrochemical detection of Pb(II)

Graphene-derived materials are an excellent electrode for electrochemical detection of heavy metals. In this study, a MnO 2 /graphene supported on Ni foam electrode was prepared via ultrasonic impregnation and electrochemical deposition. The resulting electrode was used to detect Pb(II) in the aquatic environment. The graphene and MnO 2 deposited on the Ni foam not only improved active surface area, but also promoted the electron transfer. The electrochemical performance towards Pb(II) was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). The prepared electrode exhibited lower limit of detection (LOD, 0.2 μM (S/N = 3)) and good sensitivity (59.9 μAμM −1 ) for Pb(II) detection. Moreover, the prepared electrodes showed good stability and reproducibility. This excellent performance can be attributed to the strong adhesion force between graphene and MnO 2 , which provides compact structures for the enhancement of the mechanical stability. Thus, these combined results provide some technical considerations and scientific insights for the detection of heavy metal ions using composite electrodes.