An amperometric sensor that measured ascorbic acid by the oxidation of the ascorbic acid on a Ni-Pt electrode was fabricated. The Ni component of the Ni-Pt alloy played a crucial role as a modifier that developed an erinaceous surface, which enlarged the sensing area and increased the sensitivity of the electrode. The Pt82Ni18 electrode exhibited the best sensitivity of 333 mu A cm(-2) mM(-1) for ascorbic acid sensing. This electrode was further tested for reproducibility of the sensitivity, endurance, and interference; it exhibited excellent performance compared with electrodes reported in the literature. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.