Redox-Active Polymers for Energy Storage Nanoarchitectonics

Two-dimensional redox-active covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are ideal materials for energy storage applications due to their high surface area, extended π conjugated structure, tunable pore size, and adjustable functionalities. Herein, we report the synthesis and supercapacitor application of two redox active COFs [TpPa-(OH)2 and TpBD-(OH)2] along with the role of their redox active functional groups for the enrichment of specific capacitance. Of these COFs, TpPa-(OH)2 exhibited the highest specific capacitance of 416 F g–1 at 0.5 A g–1 current density in three electrode configuration while the highest specific capacitance was 214 F g–1 at 0.2 A g–1 current density in two electrode configuration. Superior specific capacitance was due to emergence of excellent pseudocapacitance by virtue of precise molecular level control over redox functionalities present in the COF backbone. This COF also demonstrated 66% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles along with 43% accessibility of the redox-active hydro...

Molecular Level Control of the Capacitance of Two-Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks: Role of Hydrogen Bonding in Energy Storage Materials

We report here the first successful demonstration of a “π-conjugated redox polymer” simultaneously featuring a π-conjugated backbone and integrated redox sites, which can be stably and reversibly n-doped to a high doping level of 2.0 with significantly enhanced electronic conductivity. The properties of such a heavily n-dopable polymer, poly{[N,N′-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenedicarboximide-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,5′-(2,2′-bithiophene)} (P(NDI2OD-T2)), were compared vis-a-vis to those of the corresponding backbone-insulated poly{[N,N′-bis(2-octyldodecyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenedicarboximide-2,6-diyl]-alt-5,5′-[2,2′-(1,2-ethanediyl)bithiophene]} (P(NDI2OD-TET)). When evaluated as a charge storage material for rechargeable Li batteries, P(NDI2OD-T2) delivers 95% of its theoretical capacity at a high rate of 100C (72 s per charge–discharge cycle) under practical measurement conditions as well as 96% capacity retention after 3000 cycles of deep discharge–charge. Electrochemical, impedance, and charge-transport m...

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/jacs.5b02290

Heavily n-Dopable π-Conjugated Redox Polymers with Ultrafast Energy Storage Capability

Conjugated polymer chains have many degrees of conformational freedom and interact weakly with each other, resulting in complex microstructures in the solid state. Understanding charge transport in such systems, which have amorphous and ordered phases exhibiting varying degrees of order, has proved difficult owing to the contribution of electronic processes at various length scales. The growing technological appeal of these semiconductors makes such fundamental knowledge extremely important for materials and process design. We propose a unified model of how charge carriers travel in conjugated polymer films. We show that in high-molecular-weight semiconducting polymers the limiting charge transport step is trapping caused by lattice disorder, and that short-range intermolecular aggregation is sufficient for efficient long-range charge transport. This generalization explains the seemingly contradicting high performance of recently reported, poorly ordered polymers and suggests molecular design strategies to further improve the performance of future generations of organic electronic materials.

http://absimage.aps.org/image/MAR14/MWS_MAR14-2013-020288.pdf

A general relationship between disorder, aggregation and charge transport in conjugated polymers

Organic carbonyl electrode materials that have the advantages of high capacity, low cost and being environmentally friendly, are regarded as powerful candidates for next-generation stationary and redox flow rechargeable batteries (RFBs). However, low carbonyl utilization, poor electronic conductivity and undesired dissolution in electrolyte are urgent issues to be solved. Here, we summarize a molecular engineering approach for tuning the capacity, working potential, concentration of active species, kinetics, and stability of stationary and redox flow batteries, which well resolves the problems of organic carbonyl electrode materials. As an example, in stationary batteries, 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) with two carbonyls delivers a capacity of 257 mAh g-1 (2.27 V vs Li+ /Li), while increasing the number of carbonyls to four with the formation of 5,7,12,14-pentacenetetrone results in a higher capacity of 317 mAh g-1 (2.60 V vs Li+ /Li). In RFBs, AQ, which is less soluble in aqueous electrolyte, reaches 1 M by grafting -SO3 H with the formation of 9,10-anthraquinone-2,7-disulphonic acid, resulting in a power density exceeding 0.6 W cm-2 with long cycling life. Therefore, through regulating substituent groups, conjugated structures, Coulomb interactions, and the molecular weight, the electrochemical performance of carbonyl electrode materials can be rationally optimized. This review offers fundamental principles and insight into designing advanced carbonyl materials for the electrodes of next-generation rechargeable batteries.

Molecular Engineering with Organic Carbonyl Electrode Materials for Advanced Stationary and Redox Flow Rechargeable Batteries.

Electrodes based on organic matter operating in aqueous electrolytes enable new approaches and technologies for assembling and utilizing batteries that are difficult to achieve with traditional ele ...

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ange.202001191

An aqueous conducting redox polymer based proton battery that can withstand rapid constant‐voltage charging and sub‐zero temperatures

While various organic molecules have been suggested as environmentally friendly alternatives to inorganic electrode materials for lithium ion batteries, most of them suffer from slow kinetics as well as capacity fading due to dissolution. Herein we present the synthesis of poly(pyrrol-3-ylhydroquinone) (PPyQ), a polypyrrole (PPy) derivative with pending hydroquinone groups, for investigation of the use of a conducting polymer to immobilize redox active quinone units. This strategy eliminates dissolution of the active material while also increasing the conductivity. The quinone pending groups in PPyQ cycle reversibly in the potential region where the polymer backbone is conducting and chemically stable. In situ spectroelectrochemistry on PPyQ films reveals UV/vis transitions inherent to PPy, as well as quinone centered transitions, allowing detailed investigation of the interplay between the polymer doping process and the quinone redox conversion. Intriguingly, it is found that the charging of the PPy back...

Polymer–Pendant Interactions in Poly(pyrrol-3-ylhydroquinone) : A Solution for the Use of Conducting Polymers at Stable Conditions

Ion- and Electron Transport in Pyrrole/Quinone Conducting Redox Polymers Investigated by In Situ Conductivity Methods

Organic conducting redox polymers are being investigated as the active component for secondary battery applications, as they have the potential to solve two of the main problems with small molecule-based organic electrodes for electrical energy storage, viz dissolution of the active compound in the electrolyte, and slow charge transport through the material. Herein we report the synthesis of a series of conducting redox polymers based on polypyrrole with hydroquinone pendant groups that are attached to the backbone via different linkers, and we investigate the impact of the linker on the interaction between the backbone and the pendant groups. For the directly linked polymer, oxidation of the pendant groups leads to a decrease of bipolaron absorbance, as well as a decrease in mass of the polymer film, both of which are reversible. The origin of these effects is discussed in light of the influence of the linker unit, electrolyte polarity, and electrolyte salt. For the longest linkers in the series, no interaction was observed, which was deemed the most beneficial situation for energy storage applications, as the energy storage capacity of the pendant groups can be utilized without disturbing the conductivity of the polymer backbone.

Impact of Linker in Polypyrrole/Quinone Conducting Redox Polymers

Ditopic binding of various dinitrogen compounds to three bisporphyrin molecular tweezers with spacers of varying conformational rigidity, incorporating the planar enediyne (1), the helical stiff stilbene (2), or the semi-rigid glycoluril motif fused to the porphyrins (3), are compared. Binding constants Ka = 10⁴-10⁶ M(-1) reveal subtle differences between these tweezers, that are discussed in terms of porphyrin dislocation modes. Exciton coupled circular dichroism (ECCD) of complexes with chiral dinitrogen guests provides experimental evidence for the conformational properties of the tweezers. The results are further supported and rationalized by conformational analysis.

https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/21/1/16/pdf

Hao Huang

Papers

An aqueous conducting redox polymer based proton battery that can withstand rapid constant‐voltage charging and sub‐zero temperatures

Polymer–Pendant Interactions in Poly(pyrrol-3-ylhydroquinone) : A Solution for the Use of Conducting Polymers at Stable Conditions

Ion- and Electron Transport in Pyrrole/Quinone Conducting Redox Polymers Investigated by In Situ Conductivity Methods

Impact of Linker in Polypyrrole/Quinone Conducting Redox Polymers

Synthesis and Properties of Bis-Porphyrin Molecular Tweezers: Effects of Spacer Flexibility on Binding and Supramolecular Chirogenesis.