Graphene–epoxy composite electrode fabricated by in situ polycondensation for enhanced amperometric detection in capillary electrophoresis

This report describes the development and application of a novel graphene–epoxy composite electrode as a sensitive amperometric detector of capillary electrophoresis. The composite electrode was fabricated on the basis of the in situ polycondensation of a mixture of graphene and 1,2-ethanediamine-containing bisphenol A epoxy resin in the inner bore of a piece of fused silica capillary under heat. The structure of the material was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results indicated that graphene sheets were well dispersed and interconnected throughout the composite to form an electrically conductive network. The performance of this unique electrode was demonstrated by separating and detecting two naturally occurring phenolic compounds in rosemary in combination with capillary electrophoresis. The graphene-based detector offered significantly lower operating potentials, higher sensitivity, satisfactory resistance to surface fouling, and lower expense of operation, indicating great promise for a wide range of applications.