Organic macromolecular architectures for non-aqueous redox flow batteries

The work presented is focused on the development of polymers and polymer architectures to create redox active materials. Here we attempt to produce an all-organic polymer battery in solution state using inexpensive Celgard separators to compete with experiencing large crossover. Our first example of such a material utilized viologen pendant groups as the redox mediator and acted as the anode material. This approach provided a system with reversible cycling efficiency (94-99%) and selective prevention of crossover (97%). In the attempt to form a full cell, a ferrocene-based polymer was synthesized as the cathode material. This polymer allowed us to demonstrate our first example of a full polymer battery in non-aqueous solvent. In efforts to improve anode performance, a poly-4-nitrostyrene was synthesized and achieved an increased voltage of 0.9 V over the previous viologen system. To circumvent the limited size of polymers and other macromolecules, we synthesized polymer colloids of polyvinylbenzyl chloride and functionalized them to incorporate viologen pendants. The redox active colloids performed at 99% coulombic efficiency over 50 cycles.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemistry

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2017

Author dc:creator

• Cheng, Kevin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Moore, Jeffrey S.

• Redox Active Polymer
• Redox Active Colloid
• Redox Flow Battery

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2016 Kevin Cheng

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/95504

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/95504