Novel organic dyes based on the phenothiazine (PTZ) chromophore were designed and synthesized for dye-sensitized solar cells, which give solar energy-to-electricity conversion efficiency (eta) of up to 5.5% in comparison with the reference Ru-complex (N3 dye) with an eta value of 6.2% under similar experimental conditions.

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Self‐healable and flexible all‐in‐one self‐powering smartsensing devices have recently attracted great attention. Herein, a flexible all‐in‐one solid‐state electronic system of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel‐based supercapacitors for self‐powering ammonia smartsensors has been fabricated. Self‐healing supercapacitors are prepared by integrating polypyrrole (PPy) and boron cross‐linked PVA/KCl hydrogel as a sandwich configuration, exhibiting large specific capacitance of 244.81 mF cm−2 at 0.47 mA cm−2, and good charging/discharging stability of 2000 cycles, while ammonia sensors are realized by a SnO2/PPy‐modified conductive PVA hydrogel film, demonstrating an excellent sensing behavior toward NH3 vapor under 50 ppb–500 ppm. As a result, self‐healing supercapacitors could well store energy and then self‐power sensing unit for remotely real‐time detection via a smartphone, acquiring high flexibility of energy‐sensing system. With attractive biocompatibility and self‐healing performance toward various environment, this all‐in‐one flexible energy‐smartsensor system would pave the way to novel fabrication process in realization of wearable self‐healing smart devices.

A novel strategy to intensify the degradation and mineralization of the antibiotic drug metronidazole (MNZ) in water with simultaneous production of renewable electrical energy was achieved in photo-assisted microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this system Mo and W catalytic species immobilized onto a graphite felt cathode intensified the cathodic reduction of MNZ under anaerobic conditions and the oxidation of MNZ under aerobic conditions. The aerobic oxidation process was further accelerated in the presence of Fe(III), realizing a combined photo-assisted MFCs and Fenton-MFCs process. The highest rates of MNZ degradation (94.5 ± 1.4%; 75.6 ± 1.1 mg/L/h) and mineralization (89.5 ± 1.1%; 71.6 ± 0.9 mg/L/h), and power production (251 mW/m 2 ; 0.015 kWh/m 3 ; 0.22 kWh/kg COD) were achieved at a Mo/W loading of 0.18 mg/cm 2 with a Mo/W ratio of 0.17 : 1.0, in the presence of 10 mg/L of Fe(III) and at an incident photon flux of 23.3 mW/cm 2. Photo-generated holes were directly involved into the oxidation of MNZ under anaerobic conditions. Conversely, under aerobic conditions, the photo-generated electrons favored the production of O 2 •over •OH, while in the presence of Fe(III), •OH was predominant over O 2 •-, explaining the intensification of the MNZ mineralization observed. This study demonstrates an alternative and environmentally benign approach for the intensification of the removal of the antibiotic MNZ in water and possibly other contaminants of emerging concern by combining photo-assisted MFCs and Fenton-MFCs in a single process with simultaneous production of renewable electrical energy.