Search Results (4)

Electrochromic (EC) devices are gaining increasing attention for next-generation smart windows and low-power displays due to their reversible color modulation, low operating voltage, and flexible form factors. Recently, electrochromic energy storage devices (EESDs) have emerged as a promising class of multifunctional systems, enabling simultaneous energy storage and real-time visual monitoring. In this study, we report a flexible dual-functional EESD constructed using polyaniline (PANI) films doped with anthraquinone-1-sulfonic acid sodium salt (AQS), coupled with a redox-active PVA-based gel electrolyte also incorporating AQS. The incorporation of AQS into both the polymer matrix and the gel electrolyte introduces synergistic redox activity, facilitating bidirectional Faradaic reactions at the film–electrolyte interface and within the bulk gel phase. The resulting vertically aligned PANI-AQS nanoneedle films provide high surface area and efficient ion pathways, while the AQS-doped gel electrolyte contributes to enhanced ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability. The device exhibits rapid and reversible color switching from light green to deep black (within 2 s), along with a high areal capacitance of 194.2 mF·cm⁻² at 1 mA·cm⁻² and 72.1% capacitance retention over 5000 cycles—representing a 31.5% improvement over undoped systems. These results highlight the critical role of redox-functionalized gel electrolytes in enhancing both the energy storage and optical performance of EESDs, offering a scalable strategy for multifunctional, gel-based electrochemical systems in wearable and smart electronics. Full article

The biological reduction of Fe (III) is common in underground environments. This process not only affects the biogeochemical cycle of iron but also influences the migration and transformation of pollutants. Humic substances are considered effective strategies for improving the migration and transformation of toxic substances and enhancing the bioavailability of Fe (III). In this study, the electron shuttle anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) significantly promoted the bio-reduction of Fe (III). On this basis, different concentrations of aniline were added. The research results indicate that at an aniline concentration of 3 μM, the production of Fe (II) in the reaction system was 2.51 times higher compared to the microbial reaction group alone. Furthermore, the degradation of aniline was most effective in this group. The increased consumption of sodium lactate suggests that aniline, under the mediation of AQS, promoted the metabolism of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 cells and facilitated the involvement of more electrons in the reduction process. After the reaction, the solid mineral Fe (II)-O content increased to 41.32%. This study provides insights into the reduction mechanism of Fe (III) in the complex environment of microorganisms, iron minerals, electron shuttles, and pollutants. It aims to offer a theoretical basis for the biodegradation of aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants. Full article

MXene-based composites have been widely used in electric energy storage device. As a member of MXene, niobium carbide (Nb₂C) is a good electrode candidate for energy storage because of its high specific surface area and electronic conductivity. However, a pure Nb₂C MXene electrode exhibits limited supercapacitive performance due to its easy stacking. Herein, sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate (AQS) with high redox reactivity was employed as a tailor to enhance the accessibility of ions and electrolyte and enhance the capacitance performance of Nb₂C MXene. The resulting Nb₂C–AQS composite had three-dimensional porous layered structures. The supercapacitors (SCs) based on the Nb₂C–AQS composite exhibited a considerably higher electrochemical capacitance (36.3 mF cm⁻²) than the pure Nb₂C electrode (16.8 mF cm⁻²) at a scan rate of 20 mV s⁻¹. The SCs also exhibited excellent flexibility as deduced from the almost unchanged capacitance values after being subjected to bending. A capacitance retention of 99.5% after 600 cycles was observed for the resulting SCs, indicating their good cycling stability. This work proposes a surface modification method for Nb₂C MXene and facilitates the development of high-performance SCs. Full article

The consecutive photooxidation and reductive amination of various alcohols in a cascade reaction were realized by the combination of a photocatalyst and several enzymes. Whereas the photocatalyst (sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate) mediated the light-driven, aerobic oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols, the enzymes (various ω-transaminases) catalyzed the enantio-specific reductive amination of the intermediate aldehydes and ketones. The system worked in a one-pot one-step fashion, whereas the productivity was significantly improved by switching to a one-pot two-step procedure. A wide range of aliphatic and aromatic compounds was transformed into the enantiomerically pure corresponding amines via the photo-enzymatic cascade. Full article