Supporting electrolyte

About: Supporting electrolyte is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5011 publications have been published within this topic receiving 104172 citations.

Differential Capacitance Measurements in Solvent-Free Ionic Liquids at Hg and C Interfaces

Abstract: Series-stacked, double-layer carbon capacitors are slated to be used in electric vehicles for power management as well as in consumer electronics for memory backup and burst power. Nonaqueous electrolytes are preferred over aqueous electrolytes, since a wider voltage window can be accessed in the former electrolytes, thereby requiring fewer cells in the series stack. However, it has historically been difficult to assess whether the organic solvent and/or the supporting electrolyte determine the anodic limit. We have eliminated this ambiguity by using solvent-free ionic liquids where the source of anodic oxidation may be ascribed to the anion alone. Even though the new ionic liquids manifested high oxidation limits, we found that when used in practical capacitors comprising high-surface-area carbon cloth electrodes, a much lower capacitance (compared to smooth electrodes) was achieved. To understand whether the observed decrease in capacitance might be due to the microporosity of the carbon cloth electrode or to practical limitation of the device itself. we first measured the differential capacitance (C dl ) at a Hg/1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium imide. The integral capacitance at the Hg interface was then calculated and compared with that of a smooth glassy carbon electrode, a carbon yarn, and a cloth electrode. In addition, the effect of (CF 3 SO 2 ) 3 C - , (CF 3 SO 2 ) 2 N - , CF 3 SO 3 - , an BF 4 - on C dl were interpreted based on existing theories of double-layer structure.

Organometallic Electrochemistry Based on Electrolytes Containing Weakly-Coordinating Fluoroarylborate Anions

Abstract: Electrochemistry is a powerful tool for the study of oxidative electron-transfer reactions (anodic processes). Since the 1960s, the electrolytes of choice for nonaqueous electrochemistry were relatively small (heptaatomic or smaller) inorganic anions, such as perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate, or hexafluorophosphate. Owing to the similar size-to-charge ratios of these "traditional" anions, structural alterations of the electrolyte anion are not particularly valuable in effecting changes in the corresponding redox reactions. Systematic variations of supporting electrolytes were largely restricted to cathodic processes, in which interactions of anions produced in the reactions are altered by changes in electrolyte cations. A typical ladder involves going from a weakly ion-pairing tetraalkylammonium cation, [N(C(n)H(2n+1))(4)](+), with n > or = 4, to more strongly ion-pairing counterparts with n < 4, and culminating in very strongly ion-pairing alkali metal ions. A new generation of supporting electrolyte salts that incorporate a weakly coordinating anion (WCA) expands anodic applications by providing a dramatically different medium in which to generate positively charged electrolysis products. A chain of electrolyte anions is now available for the control of anodic reactions, beginning with weakly ion-pairing WCAs, progressing through the traditional anions, and culminating in halide ions. Although the electrochemical properties of a number of different WCAs have been reported, the most systematic work involves fluoro- or trifluoromethyl-substituted tetraphenylborate anions (fluoroarylborate anions). In this Account, we focus on tetrakis(perfluorophenyl)borate, [B(C(6)F(5))(4)](-), which has a significantly more positive anodic window than tetrakis[(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)]borate, [BArF(24)](-), making it suitable in a larger range of anodic oxidations. These WCAs also have a characteristic of specific importance to organometallic redox processes. Many electron-deficient organometallic compounds are subject to nucleophilic attack by the traditional family of electrolyte anions. With a view to testing the scope of the much less nucleophililic WCAs in providing a benign electrolyte anion for the generation of organometallic cation radicals, we carried out a series of studies on transition metal sandwich and half-sandwich compounds. The model compounds were chosen both for their fundamental importance and because their radical cations had been neither isolated nor spectrally characterized, despite many previous electrochemical investigations with traditional anions. The oxidation of prototypical organometallic compounds, such as the sandwich-structured ruthenocene and the piano-stool structured Cr(eta(6)-C(6)H(6))(CO)(3), Mn(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)(3), Re(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)(3), and Co(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)(2), gave the first definitive in situ characterization of their radical cations. In several cases, the kinetic stabilization of the anodic products allowed the identification of dimers or unique dimer radicals having weak metal-metal bonds and provided new preparative options for organometallic systems. In terms of thermodynamic effects, the lower ion-pairing abilities of WCAs and their good solubility in a broad range of solvents, including those of lower polarity, permitted a systematic study that yielded an integrated model of how to use solvent-electrolyte combinations to manipulate the E(1/2) differences of compounds undergoing multiple electron-transfer reactions. Although the efficacy of WCA-based electrolytes in organometallic anodic chemistry is now established, WCAs might further expand applications of organic redox chemistry. Other WCAs, including those derived from carboranes and fluorinated alkoxyaluminates, merit additional studies.

Enhanced electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction based on patterning of platinum surfaces with cyanide.

Abstract: The slow rate of the oxygen reduction reaction in the phosphoric acid fuel cell is the main factor limiting its wide application. Here, we present an approach that can be used for the rational design of cathode catalysts with potential use in phosphoric acid fuel cells, or in any environments containing strongly adsorbing tetrahedral anions. This approach is based on molecular patterning of platinum surfaces with cyanide adsorbates that can efficiently block the sites for adsorption of spectator anions while the oxygen reduction reaction proceeds unhindered. We also demonstrate that, depending on the supporting electrolyte anions and cations, on the same CN-covered Pt(111) surface, the oxygen reduction reaction activities can range from a 25-fold increase to a 50-fold decrease. This behaviour is discussed in the light of the role of covalent and non-covalent interactions in controlling the ensemble of platinum active sites required for high turn over rates of the oxygen reduction reaction.

Major Effect of Electropolymerization Solvent on Morphology and Electrochromic Properties of PEDOT Films

Abstract: Although significant efforts were devoted to improving the properties of conductive polymers, the effects of solvent and supporting electrolytes on the morphology and electrochromic features of electropolymerized materials have been scantly investigated. In this work, the effects of the polymerization conditions, such as the solvents and supporting electrolytes, on the morphological structure and electrochromic properties of PEDOT films were systematically studied. Surprisingly, we find a very significant solvent effect and a small supporting electrolyte effect. We show that morphological properties also strongly correlate with electrochromic properties. Films prepared in propylene carbonate have a smoother structure than those prepared in acetonitrile and this leads to superior electrochromic properties, such as an exceptionally high contrast ratio (71%), transparency in the doped state (80%), and coloration efficiency (193 cm2/C) for the films prepared in propylene carbonate. Significant differences bet...