•A novel nanohybrid 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin-functionalized graphene nanoribbons (HP-β-CD/GNRs) was produced for the first time•New electrochemical sensors for p-aminophenol, l-tyrosine, and rhodamine B were developed based on HP-β-CD/GNRs hybrids•The sensors show good analytical performance.In this communication, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) funtionalized graphene nanoribbons (HP-β-CD/GNRs) were prepared for the first time by using a simple wet chemical strategy, and then, the HP-β-CD/GNRs were applied for constructing electrochemical sensors for three representative analytes (p-aminophenol, p-AP; l-tyrosine, Tyr; rhodamine B, RhB). Owing to the synergetic effects of GNRs (excellent electrochemical properties and large surface area) and HP-β-CD (high host–guest recognition and enrichment capability), the highly sensitive electrochemical sensing platforms of three analytes were established by using HP-β-CD/GNRs modified electrode, and the detection limits were 0.0008, 0.003, and 0.001 μM for p-AP, Tyr, and RhB, respectively.

•A new method for preparing nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres wrapped with reduced graphene oxide (NHCNS@RG).•The method is simple, low cost and green.•Using NHCNS@RG to construct electrochemical sensor for detecting PCP.•The sensor shows excellent electrochemical sensing performance for PCP.Owing to awfully harmful to the environment and human health, the qualitative and quantitative determination of parachlorophenol (PCP) is of great significance. In this paper, by using silica@polydopamine as template, nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres wrapped with reduced graphene oxide (NHCNS@RG) nanostructure was prepared successfully via a self-assembly approach due to the electrostatic interaction, and the obtained NHCNS@RG could exhibit the unique properties of NHCNS and RG: the NHCNS could impede the aggregation tendency of RG and possess high electrocatalytic activity; the RG enlarges the contacting area and offers many area-normalized edge-plane structures and active sites. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and electrochemical method were used to characterize the morphology and structure of NHCNS@RG. Then, the NHCNS@RG hybrids were applied for the electrochemical sensing of PCP, under the optimized conditions, the detection limit of PCP obtained in this work is 0.01 μM and the linear range is 0.03–38.00 μM.

•Poly-β-cyclodextrin-L-arginine/carbon nanotubes@graphene nanoribbons modified electrode was prepared.•New electrochemical sensor of 2- and 4-AP is successfully achieved based on the modified electrode.•The modified electrode shows good analytical performance for simultaneous detection of 2- and 4-AP.•The modified electrode could be applied in selective simultaneous electrochemical determination for multiple aminophenol isomers.Owing to the similar characteristics and physiochemical property of 2-aminophenol (2-AP) and 4-aminophenol (4-AP), the highly sensitive simultaneous electrochemical determination of 2- and 4-AP is a great challenge. In this paper, by electropolymerizing β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and l-arginine (l-Arg) on the surface of carbon nanotubes@graphene nanoribbons (CNTs@GNRs) core-shell heterostructure, a P-β-CD-l-Arg/CNTs@GNRs nanohybrid modified electrode was prepared successfully, and it could exhibit the synergetic effects of β-CD (high host-guest recognition and enrichment ability), l-Arg (excellent electrocatalytic activity) and CNTs@GNRs (prominent electrochemical properties and large surface area), the P-β-CD-l-Arg/CNTs@GNRs modified electrode was used in the electrochemical determination of 2- and 4-AP, the results demonstrated that the highly sensitive and simultaneous determination of 2- and 4-AP is successfully achieved and the modified electrode has a linear response range of 25.0–1300.0 nM for both 2- and 4-AP, and the detection limits of 2- and 4-AP obtained in this work are 6.2 and 3.5 nM, respectively.

In this work, hollow carbon nanospheres (HCNS) were prepared, followed by the introduction of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the HCNS surface, and then functionalization with per-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin (CD) based on the formation of “Au–S” bond, resulting in a novel cyclodextrin/carbon-based nanohybrid (CD–AuNPs/HCNS), which possesses the unique properties of HCNS (excellent electrochemical properties and large surface area), CD (high host–guest recognition and water-solubility) and AuNPs (excellent electrocatalytic activity). The obtained CD–AuNPs/HCNS nanohybrids were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electrochemical methods. Furthermore, CD–AuNPs/HCNS were applied in the simultaneous electrochemical sensing of o-dihydroxybenzene (o-DHB) and p-dihydroxybenzene (p-DHB) (both o- and p-DHB have similar structures and coexist in environment; moreover, they are toxic to humans and difficult to degrade). Under the optimum conditions, the detection limits of o- and p-DHB obtained in this work are 0.01 and 0.02 μM, respectively.

Due to being harmful to the human health, the qualitative and quantitative determination of rhodamine B (RhB) is of great significance. In this paper, per-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin functionalized nanogold/hollow carbon nanospheres (β-CD-AuNPs/HCNS) nanohybrids were prepared and then applied successfully for the highly sensitive electrochemical detection of RhB. Due to the synergetic effects from the HCNS (excellent electrochemical properties and large surface area), β-CD (high host–guest recognition and water-solubility) and AuNPs (excellent electrocatalytic activity), the oxidation peak currents of RhB on the β-CD-AuNPs/HCNS modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) are much higher than those on the AuNPs/HCNS/GCE and bare GCE. The β-CD-AuNPs/HCNS/GCE has a linear response range of 4.79–958.00 μg L−1 with a detection limit of 0.96 μg L−1 for RhB.

•A core–shell heterostructure MWCNTs@GONRs was produced from unzipping MWCNTs.•A new electrochemical sensor for PAAs was developed based on MWCNTs@GONRs hybrids.•The sensor shows good analytical performance for PAAs detection.Being awfully harmful to the environment and human health, the qualitative and quantitative determinations of polycyclic aromatic amines (PAAs) are of great significance. In this paper, a novel core–shell heterostructure of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as the core and graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONRs) as the shell (MWCNTs@GONRs) was produced from longitudinal partially unzipping of MWCNTs side walls using a simple wet chemical strategy and applied for electrochemical determination of three kinds of PAAs (1-aminopyrene (1-AP), 1-aminonaphthalene and 3,3′-diaminobiphenyl). Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and electrochemical methods were used to characterize the as-prepared MWCNTs@GONRs. Due to the synergistic effects from MWCNTs and GONRs, the oxidation currents of PAAs at the MWCNTs@GONRs modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode are much higher than that at the MWCNTs/GC, graphene/GC and bare GC electrodes. 1-AP was used as the representative analyte to demonstrate the sensing performance of the MWCNTs@GONRs/GC electrode, and the proposed modified electrode has a linear response range of 8.0–500.0 nM with a detection limit of 1.5 nM towards 1-AP.

In this work, hollow carbon nanospheres (HCNS) were prepared, followed by the introduction of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the HCNS surface, and then functionalization with per-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin (CD) based on the formation of “Au–S” bond, resulting in a novel cyclodextrin/carbon-based nanohybrid (CD–AuNPs/HCNS), which possesses the unique properties of HCNS (excellent electrochemical properties and large surface area), CD (high host–guest recognition and water-solubility) and AuNPs (excellent electrocatalytic activity). The obtained CD–AuNPs/HCNS nanohybrids were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electrochemical methods. Furthermore, CD–AuNPs/HCNS were applied in the simultaneous electrochemical sensing of o-dihydroxybenzene (o-DHB) and p-dihydroxybenzene (p-DHB) (both o- and p-DHB have similar structures and coexist in environment; moreover, they are toxic to humans and difficult to degrade). Under the optimum conditions, the detection limits of o- and p-DHB obtained in this work are 0.01 and 0.02 μM, respectively.

Due to being harmful to the human health, the qualitative and quantitative determination of rhodamine B (RhB) is of great significance. In this paper, per-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin functionalized nanogold/hollow carbon nanospheres (β-CD-AuNPs/HCNS) nanohybrids were prepared and then applied successfully for the highly sensitive electrochemical detection of RhB. Due to the synergetic effects from the HCNS (excellent electrochemical properties and large surface area), β-CD (high host–guest recognition and water-solubility) and AuNPs (excellent electrocatalytic activity), the oxidation peak currents of RhB on the β-CD-AuNPs/HCNS modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) are much higher than those on the AuNPs/HCNS/GCE and bare GCE. The β-CD-AuNPs/HCNS/GCE has a linear response range of 4.79–958.00 μg L−1 with a detection limit of 0.96 μg L−1 for RhB.