Optimized Membrane‐Driven NiO‐Based Catalyst for Efficient Glucose Oxidation in Neutral pH Nonenzymatic Biofuel Cells for Biomedical Applications

A high‐performance NiO/nitrogen‐doped carbon (NC) catalyst integrated with an acid‐base‐functionalized membrane is developed for a nonenzymatic biofuel cell (NEBFC) operating at neutral pH. The novelty of this work lies in the dual functionality, enabling both glucose biosensing and power generation. The combination of NC with NiO creates abundant catalytic sites for glucose oxidation, stabilizes Ni 3+ as an effective charge transfer carrier, and ensures high electrocatalytic activity. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical analyses confirm the oxidation states and reaction mechanisms. A key advancement is the integration of a synthesized proton‐conducting membrane, which significantly enhances proton transport via the Grotthuss mechanism, thereby improving overall power density. The optimized NEBFC membrane achieves a peak power density of 97.7 μW cm −2 at 5 mM glucose. Chronoamperometry confirms stable catalytic performance over a glucose concentration range of 5–30 mM. Compared to Nafion, the G3 membrane exhibits a 70% increase in ion‐ exchange capacity and a fourfold improvement in proton conductivity, while G5 achieves a fivefold increase in conductivity but suffers a 60% reduction in cell viability. Thus, the G3 membrane demonstrates a promising dual‐functional platform with superior ionic conductivity, biosafety, and electrochemical performance for glucose biosensing and biofuel cell applications.