Subject	Materials Science – Metals and Alloys
Specific subject area	This article involves the synthesis of a thin film comprised of metal oxides and nitrogen composites for the application in glucose oxidation
Type of data	•Graphs •Figures
Acquisition of data	X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS): PHI X-tool, Ulvac-Phi XPS probe and analyzed using Origin Pro. Zeiss Auriga field emission scanning electron microscope. The particle size distribution was conducted using imageJ software. Autolab PGSTAT302N potentiostat (Metrohm, Switzerland) used for cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Origin Pro used to analyse chronoamperometry and NOVA 2 software to fit equivalent electrical circuit.
Data format	•Raw •Analysed
Parameters for data collection	The XPS spectrograms are grouped according to the peaks achieved for the various elements. The CV experimentation is recorded at 25mV/s with an applied potential range of –0.1 to 0.8 V in a solution of 0.1 M NaOH. EIS data was recorded using a 0.01 V amplitude with a range of 1–106 Hz. Chronoamperometric tests were conducted using the applied potential of the peak oxidation current.
Description of data collection	The electrodes were produced and sent for physical characterisation to Shandong University and University of Western Cape. Each electrode was tested electrochemically within the week of production. All raw electrochemical data was exported from NOVA 2 software and analysed using Origin Pro. After each electrochemical test, the electrodes (including counter and reference) were washed with deionised water and dried using compressed air blower. Washing of the beaker used for these tests were also done after each test and fresh electrolyte and analyte solutions were used.
Data source location	XPS was conducted using a PHI X-tool, Ulvac-Phi XPS probe at the State Key Laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100, PR China. SEM images were produced using a Zeiss Auriga field emission scanning electron microscope at the Electron microscope unit, University of the Western Cape, Bellvile-7535, South Africa. All electrochemical tests (CV, chronoamperometry and EIS) were done using an Autolab PGSTAT302N potentiostat at department of chemical engineering, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellvile-7535, South Africa.
Data accessibility	Supplementary file entitled Raw data_DIB-D-20-01811 in .zip file format
Related research article	M. Palmer, M. Masikini, L. Jiang, J. Wang, F. Cummings, J. Chamier, O. Inyang and M. Chowdhury, Enhanced electrochemical glucose sensing performance of CuO:NiO mixed oxides thin film by plasma assisted nitrogen doping, Journal of Alloys and Compounds 853 (2021) 156900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.156900