Surface valence regulation of cobalt–nickel foams for glucose oxidation-assisted water electrolysis

Electrooxidation reactions of organic molecules that require a much lower overpotential are currently considered as promising alternatives to replace the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in water electrolysis. Herein, an ultrafast oxygen plasma treatment is implemented to modify commercial cobalt-nickel foam (CNF) to regulate the high-valence Co3+ and Ni3+, rendering more active sites, faster reaction kinetics and enhanced response towards glucose. Compared to the OER, the overpotential of the plasma-treated CNF at 10 mA cm-2 was reduced to 133 mV via glucose electro-oxidation coupled with water splitting.