Simultaneous Cu Doping and Growth of TiO2Nanocrystalline Array Film as a Glucose Biosensor

Abstract: Doping additional ions into semiconductor is a potential strategy to modify the electronic structure of semiconductor materials. By using a highly reactive colloidal Cu clusters as doping precursor, we present here the successful doping of Cu ions into TiO2 nanocrystalline that simultaneously transformed from amorphous anodic TiO2 nanotubes during a dissolution and recrystallization process. The Cu-doped TiO2 nanoparticles (Cu-TNPs) film was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The Cu-TNPs show a rugby-like shape with exposed active {101}, {001} facets and the long-axis parallel to [001] lattice direction. The substitutional Cu2+ ions dopants in TiO2 nanocrystals caused the swelling of the crystalline unit cell. Such efficient doping design facilitate the improvement of nanostructured TiO2 as a potential biosensor for glucose molecules.