Engineered NiCo₂O₄ Spinel Nanostructures for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Performance in Energy Storage and Non-Enzymatic Glucose Detection

The development of multifunctional nanostructured catalysts with high electrochemical activity and stability is crucial for sustainable technologies. Herein, we report the synthesis of CTAB-capped NiCo₂O₄ (CNC) spinel nanostructures via a facile co-precipitation method, engineered to enhance surface activity and charge transport. The optical and structural properties of the nanocomposite were confirmed by UV-Vis and TEM analysis, and the functional group present in the composite was confirmed by FT-IR study. The cubic spinel phase of the CNC was confirmed by XRD analysis. The band gap value was determined to be 2.15 eV, which confirmed the semiconductor nature of the nanocomposite. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency was achieved up to approximately 97% against malachite green. Additionally, CNC demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic performance in non-enzymatic glucose detection, exhibiting high sensitivity and reproducibility across a broad concentration range. Hence, the CNC acted as a potent oxidant for photoelectrochemical reactions.