LAUSR

Abstract In this research for a first time, the effect of cationic, anionic and nonionic surfactants on the gold nanostructures is studied using electrochemical techniques. The results present the size of gold nanostructures depends to the concentration surfactants. Improvement of the designing method is recommended for the anionic surfactant. On the other hand, nonionic and cationic surfactants show less importance for the present study. Also, the optimal concentration of the different surfactants is investigated in fabrication of the nanoporous gold film (NPGF). The studies are accomplished by cyclic voltammetry (CV), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Further, the electrocatalytic behaviour of the gold nanostructures is investigated using quercetin (QU) as an analyte. The peak current of QU at the surface of NPGF shows two linear dynamic ranges from 0.01 to 12.0 and 12.0–100.0 μM. Using the data, detection limit is obtained 1.1 nM for QU. The voltammetric sensing studies suggest that the NPGF will become a potential material in the field of electrochemical sensors.