Zinc oxide/reduced graphene oxide (ZnO/rGO) composite was synthesized via the modified Hummers' method. The presence of ZnO composite on the rGO sheets was confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. FTIR result showed the formation of ZnO/rGO with the presence ZnO stretching peak and the surface of ZnO/rGO was found to have better morphology with functionalized groups attached to it. XRD analysis also confirms the formation of ZnO/rGO composite by wurtzite structured indexed peak of the diffractogram. The ZnO/rGO composite was drop on the surface of GCE by drop casting method to increase the electrocatalytic activities of bare GCE. The electrochemical behaviour of ZnO/rGO modified electrode shows the enhancement in electron transfer and the system is diffusion-controlled. The electrochemical studies also revealed that the ZnO/rGO/GCE dramatically increased the current response against the dopamine (DA), due to the synergistic effect emerged between ZnO and rGO. This attributed that ZnO/rGO/GCE could exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity and effective electron transfer kinetics towards the oxidation of DA. Therefore, the ZnO/rGO/GCE could be used to determine the DA concentration and provide an ideal matrix for clinical applications.Keywords: zinc oxide, reduced graphene oxide, composite materials, dopamine, electrocatalysis Abstrak Komposit zink oksida/grafin oksida terturun (ZnO/rGO) telah disintesis melalui kaedah Hummer terubahsuai. Kehadiran komposit ZnO pada lapisan rGO telah diujikan oleh mikroskop imbasan elektron (SEM), Pembelauan sinar X (XRD) dan Inframerah transformasi Fourier (FTIR). Keputusan FTIR menunjukkan pembentukan ZnO/rGO dengan kehadiran puncak ZnO dan permukaan ZnO/rGO didapati mempunyai morfologi yang lebih baik dengan kumpulan berfungsi melekat padanya. Analisis XRD juga menunjukkan pembentukan komposit ZnO/rGO melalui diffraktogram indeks puncak struktrur wurtzit. Komposit ZnO/rGO telah diubahsuai dengan elektrod karbon berkaca (GCE) dengan menggunakan kaedah alas titis. Perlakuan elektrokimia ZnO/rGO/GCE menunjukkan peningkatan dalam pemindahan elektron dan sistem adalah proses serapan terkawal. Kajian elektrokimia mendedahkan bahawa respon arus ZnO/rGO/GCE meningkat terhadap DA, disebabkan kesan sinergi antara ZnO dan rGO. Ini disebabkan respon arus ZnO/rGO/GCE boleh mempamerkan aktiviti elektropemangkin yang berkesan terhadap kinetik pemindahan elektron DA. Oleh itu, ZnO/rGO/GCE boleh digunakan untuk menentukan kepekatan DA dan menjadi pemangkin sesuai untuk aplikasi klinikal.Kata kunci: zink oksida, grafin oksida terturun, bahan komposit, dopamin, elektropemangkin
ISSN
-2506
Farhanini et al: THE ELECTROCHEMICAL BEHAVIOR OF ZINC OXIDE/REDUCED GRAPHENE OXIDE COMPOSITE ELECTRODE IN DOPAMINE 228Introduction Dopamine (DA) is the most significant catecholamines, belongs to the excitatory neurotransmitter family which consists of an amine group linked to a catechol structure. It has great infl...