LAUSR

In this paper screen printed electrodes modified with NiO nanoparticles were developed and characterized. NiO nanoparticles were purposely synthesized by a microwave-assisted procedure followed by calcination either at 400 °C or 600 °C and characterized by X-ray diffraction and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Screen printed electrodes were modified by drop casting either set of NiO nanoparticles dispersed in different solvents, i.e. H2O, CH3CN, ethanol and DMF-H2O and characterized by Cyclic Voltammentry using ferrycianide as electroactive probe. All NiO-SPEs show enhanced performances with respect to the bare electrodes. The largest electroactive area, homogeneity, electron kinetic transfer and smallest peak-to-peak separation is displayed by the screen printed electrodes modified with NiO prepared at 400 °C and dispersed in H2O. Thus this electrode was probed for the detection of benzoquinone, epinephrine and norepinephrine, demonstrating an enhancement of the electrochemical activity and a separation of the reduction peaks compared to the bare electrodes.