A novel Ni nanoparticle-MoS2 nanosheet hybrid was prepared by chemically reducing Ni nanoparticles on MoS2 nanosheet for the non-enzymatic detection of glucose. The morphology and structure of the Ni-MoS2 hybrid were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results indicated that Ni nanoparticles with an average diameter of 6 nm were successfully deposited on MoS2 nanosheet. Electrocatalytic activity of the as-prepared nanomaterials towards glucose oxidation was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and amperometric measurement in alkaline media. An excellent sensitivity value of 1824 mu A mM(-1) cm(-2) with a wide linear range (up to 4 mM) and low detection limit of 0.31 mu M were gained by Ni-MoS2 hybrid fabricated sensor. The superior catalytic activity and low expense make Ni-MoS2 hybrid very promising for applications in direct sensing of glucose. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.