Self-assembled sugar-based copper nanoparticles as trimethylamine sensor

Rapid detection and monitoring of trimethylamine (TMA) in a real-time environment is of great significance in the context of pollution monitoring, food quality assessment, and safety. In this work, self-assembled sugar-based copper nanoparticles (Glu-CuNPs) were synthesized by treating copper acetate with organogel, which was obtained by the self-assembly of sugar-based amphiphile in dichlorobenzene. Structural, morphological, electrical, and sensing properties of Glu-CuNPs were analyzed using 1 H- and 13 C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission tunneling electron microscope (FE-TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and Home-made sensing chamber integrated with Keithley electrometer. At room temperature, Glu-CuNPs compound displayed better selectivity towards 100 ppm of TMA with a fast response of 28 and recovery time of 317 and 254 s, respectively. The developed sensor showed a detection range of 1–500 ppm at room temperature.