Growth of ZnO nanowire arrays on various substrates for enhanced glucose sensing

Abstract

This study explores the potential of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires grown on various substrates for glucose sensing applications. The primary aim is to evaluate the electrochemical performance of these nanowires for nonenzymatic glucose detection, focusing on optimizing sensitivity, reproducibility, and selectivity. Initial experiments using a phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution demonstrated that the ZnO nanowire-based system can detect glucose. Substrate selection plays a critical role in determining the morphology and alignment of ZnO nanowires, which directly impacts sensor performance. Recent studies have demonstrated the advantages of using silicon (Si) substrates for the growth of ZnO nanowire arrays, where the high-density nanostructures significantly enhance the electroactive surface area, improving sensitivity for glucose detection.