Fabrication and characterization of copper nanoparticle thin-films and the electrocatalytic behavior

Copper nanoparticles, stabilized by cysteine, have been formed thin-films on indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes with (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPTMS). Scanning electron micrograph (SEM) demonstrates that the films are uniform and the copper nanoparticles are homogeneously distributed on the ITO electrode surface. Electrochemical experiments reveal that the obtained copper nanoparticles modified electrodes show improved electron-transfer characteristics and exhibit high electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of nitrite and nitric oxide, which can be utilized as an efficient electrochemical sensor.