Faiza Jan Iftikhar

Thiamine-functionalized silver nanoparticles for the highly selective and sensitive colorimetric detection of Hg2+ ions

Hg2+ contamination is a serious threat to the environment; hence, the development of methods for its trace level detection is urgently required. To contribute in this domain, we report for the first time the application of a highly sensitive and selective colorimetric sensing platform for Hg2+ ions using thiamine-functionalized silver nanoparticles (Th-AgNPs). Upon the addition of Hg2+ ions to the solution, the AgNPs exhibited a noticeable color change from yellow to violet-blue. This color change was monitored by the UV-vis spectrophotometric observation of a significant decrease in the absorption band at 395 nm along with the appearance of a new peak at 550 nm. The designed sensor demonstrated good sensitivity in the concentration range of 1 × 10−8 to 5 × 10−6 M with a detection limit of 5 nM. The sensor also showed high selectivity for Hg2+ when tested in the presence of several competing metal ions. Moreover, the method was found to be applicable to river water samples with satisfactory percentage recoveries.

Heteroatom-doped carbonaceous electrode materials for high performance energy storage devices

The development of cost affordable and efficient catalysts for speeding up electrode reactions is key for boosting up the commercial viability of fuel cells, metal air batteries and other energy production and storage devices. Although state-of-the-art platinum demonstrates excellent performance as an electrode material, its susceptibility to poisoning, high cost and limited availability have blocked the road for large scale commercialization of Pt based energy conversion/storage devices. In this connection carbon nanomaterials are attractive choices on account of their corrosion resistant properties, affordable cost, widespread availability, unique surface features, environmentally acceptable nature and practical capability for addressing the global energy challenge. Moreover, the catalytic role of carbon nanomaterials is expected to be further upgraded by the incorporation of dopants into their framework. Hence, the current review article is at the heart of underlining the recent progress achieved under the umbrella of heteroatom-doped carbons to accelerate reactions in advanced energy generation devices.

Ionic Liquids as Environmentally Benign Electrolytes for High‐Performance Supercapacitors

Abstract Electrochemical capacitors (ECs) are a vital class of electrical energy storage (EES) devices that display the capacity of rapid charging and provide high power density. In the current era, interest in using ionic liquids (ILs) in high‐performance EES devices has grown exponentially, as this novel versatile electrolyte media is associated with high thermal stability, excellent ionic conductivity, and the capability to withstand high voltages without undergoing decomposition. ILs are therefore potentially useful materials for improving the energy/power performances of ECs without compromising on safety, cyclic stability, and power density. The current review article underscores the importance of ILs as sustainable and high‐performance electrolytes for electrochemical capacitors.