Quinone pendant group kinetics in poly(pyrrol-3-ylhydroquinone)

Intrinsically conducting polymers and their combinations with redox-active molecules for rechargeable battery electrodes: an update

Intrinsically conducting polymers and their copolymers and composites with redox-active organic molecules prepared by chemical as well as electrochemical polymerization may yield active masses without additional binder and conducting agents for secondary battery electrodes possibly utilizing the advantageous properties of both constituents are discussed. Beyond these possibilities these polymers have found many applications and functions for various further purposes in secondary batteries, as binders, as protective coatings limiting active material corrosion, unwanted dissolution of active mass ingredients or migration of electrode reaction participants. Selected highlights from this rapidly developing and very diverse field are presented. Possible developments and future directions are outlined.

A Redox Conjugated Polymer-Based All-Solid-State Reference Electrode

This work reports the design, synthesis, and characterization of a novel redox-active conjugated polyaniline containing quinone moiety as a solid state reference electrode. The union of electro-active quinone with π-conjugated polyaniline was created by the first chemical synthesis of para-dimethoxybenzene-functionalized aniline as a monomer using a palladium-mediated coupling. The successful polymerization of the as-prepared monomer was accomplished without acid additives. Its post-polymerization modification with strong Lewis acid boron tribromide furnished unique poly (aniline quinone/hydroquinone) with desired properties for all-solid-state reference electrode (RE) applications. The electrochemical responses from the conjugated polyaniline backbone in this unique polymer have been “suppressed” by the quinone pendant. The resulting poly (aniline quinone) showed a quasi-reversible redox process from the redox behavior of the pendant quinone. The stable electrode potential of this poly (aniline quinone/hydroquinone) suggested that it was a single phase in which the amounts of totally reduced and totally oxidized species could be maintained at a constant in various solvents and electrolytes. Its electrochemical stability was excellent with 95% peak current retention after continuous cyclic voltammetric testing. The aniline and quinone moieties in poly (aniline quinone/hydroquinone) render it to have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic compatibility. It showed excellent behavior as a reference electrode in aqueous and non-aqueous media and can be used in both non-zero current and zero-current conditions, providing a stable potential with a maximum potential drift of ~4.7 mV over ten consecutive days.

Hierarchical bicontinuous structure of redox-active organic composites and their enhanced electrochemical properties

The hierarchical bicontinuous structure of redox-active organic composites of crystalline quinone derivatives and conductive polymers was generated through simultaneous etching of the crystal and polymerization of the monomer.

Synthesis and characterization of poly-3-((2,5-hydroquinone)vinyl)-1H-pyrrole: investigation on backbone/pendant interactions in a conducting redox polymer

We herein report the synthesis and electrochemical characterization of poly-3-((2,5-hydroquinone)vinyl)-1H-pyrrole, consisting of a polypyrrole backbone derivatized at the beta position by a vinyl-hydroquinone pendant group.

A ketone/alcohol polymer for cycle of electrolytic hydrogen-fixing with water and releasing under mild conditions

Finding a safe and efficient carrier of hydrogen is a major challenge. Recently, hydrogenated organic compounds have been studied as hydrogen storage materials because of their ability to stably and reversibly store hydrogen by forming chemical bonds; however, these compounds often suffer from safety issues and are usually hydrogenated with hydrogen at high pressure and/or temperature. Here we present a ketone (fluorenone) polymer that can be moulded as a plastic sheet and fixes hydrogen via a simple electrolytic hydrogenation at −1.5 V (versus Ag/AgCl) in water at room temperature. The hydrogenated alcohol derivative (the fluorenol polymer) reversibly releases hydrogen by heating (80 °C) in the presence of an aqueous iridium catalyst. Both the use of a ketone polymer and the efficient hydrogen fixing with water as a proton source are completely different from other (de)hydrogenated compounds and hydrogenation processes. The easy handling and mouldable polymers could suggest a pocketable hydrogen carrier.

Using hydrogen efficiently requires safe carriers and reversible storage. Here, Nishide and others develop a ketone based polymer that can fix hydrogen by electrolytic hydrogenation in water and reversibly release it via heating and the use of an iridium catalyst.

Impact of linker in polypyrrole/quinone conducting redox polymers

Introducing a linker unit in polypyrrole/quinone conducting redox polymers dramatically reduces the interaction between the two redox systems. Moreover, increasing its length and flexibility completely eliminates the interaction.