Yunzhi Qian, Yingfei Wang, Haibing Huang, Qing Hao, Hong Liu
Electrochromic supercapacitors (EC-SCs) allow for the visual monitoring of energy storage states, while conventional devices operating only in the visible region cannot work under low-light or encapsulation conditions. Herein, shortwave infrared EC-SCs are precisely fabricated based on oriented covalent organic framework (COF) films, enabling encapsulation-penetrating energy storage monitoring within opaque media. The triphenylamine and thiophene units in the COF skeleton enable synergistic electrochemical energy storage and responsive absorption changes in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) region. Leveraging the strong penetrative capability of SWIR light, the state-of-charge can be detected in real time as a form of grayscale in SWIR imaging, even when SWIR EC-SCs are obstructed by opaque packages. This work establishes a paradigm for integrating energy storage and state-of-charge visualization functionalities into oriented COF electrodes via precise molecular design. It bridges the gap between conventional EC-SCs and their practical applications in portable, wearable, and implantable electronic devices.