Citation: Jianchun Wang, Ruyu Xie. The Fantastical Dance of Miss Electron: Contra-Thermodynamic Electrocatalytic Reactions[J]. University Chemistry, ;2025, 40(4): 331-339. doi: 10.12461/PKU.DXHX202406082 shu

The Fantastical Dance of Miss Electron: Contra-Thermodynamic Electrocatalytic Reactions

Jianchun Wang ,
Ruyu Xie

Shenzhen Grubbs Institute, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong Province, China

Received Date: 20 June 2024
Revised Date: 6 November 2024

This article presents a story about the laws of thermodynamics through a personified narrative. The protagonist, “Miss Electron”, dances gracefully in the microscopic world, her movements symbolizing chemical reactions. Her mentors, Clausius and Boltzmann, impart knowledge of entropy and the laws of thermodynamics, which govern the rules of her dance. Although “Miss Electron” follows these laws, she dreams of performing a “contra-thermodynamic” dance, inspired by electrocatalytic reactions. In the real world, she encounters “Mr. Battery”, embarking on a journey into the realm of organic electrocatalysis. This encounter represents the tension and harmony between tradition and innovation in scientific discovery, as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by a young dreamer. Through a compelling narrative, the article introduces methods for calculating changes in Gibbs free energy during chemical reactions, and explores how electrocatalytic reactions use electrical work to input energy into a system, thereby enabling chemical reactions with positive Gibbs free energy changes—what recent literatures refer to as “contra-thermodynamic” reactions. The article illustrates the importance of these reactions in chemical research through two examples: water electrolysis and electrocatalytic cyclic deracemization (ECD). Furthermore, it discusses the challenges adolescents face in their quest for self-identity, highlighting the importance of embracing innovation and daring to break boundaries: true innovation lies not in discarding established principles, but in creating new possibilities within existing constraints.
- Electrocatalysis,
- Contra-thermodynamic reactions,
- Entropy,
- Water electrolysis,
- Deracemization
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