Here we report on a novel enzyme-free glucose sensor based on nanoporous palladium-cadmium (PdCd) networks. A facile hydrothermal method was employed in the synthesis of different PdCd nanomaterials with controllable compositions. The morphology, composition and crystalline structure of the fabricated nanoporous PdCd electrodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), respectively. The glucose sensor was prepared via the deposition of the synthesized PdCd nanomaterials on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The effect of the composition of the nanoporous PdCd on the performance of the electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and amperometry. Our electrochemical studies showed that the PdCd/GC electrode responds to the direct oxidation of glucose with high electrocatalytic activity. The electrode exhibited optimal performance under a potential of -0.4 V at which interference from ascorbic acid (AA), uric acid (UA) and 3-acetamidophenol (AP) is effectively minimized. The sensitivity of the sensor for continuous glucose monitoring was 146.21 mu A mM(-1) cm(-2) with linearity up to 10 mM and a detection limit of 0.05 mM (S/N = 3). (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.