High seebeck coefficient in middle-temperature thermocell with deep eutectic solvent

Exploring the local solvation structure of redox molecules in a mixed solvent for increasing the Seebeck coefficient of thermocells

A thermocell is an emerging alternative to thermoelectric devices and exhibits a high Seebeck coefficient (Se) due to the large change of solvation entropy associated with redox reactions. Here, the Se of p-chloranil radicals/dianions (CA˙-/2-) in acetonitrile was drastically increased from -1.3 to -2.6 mV K-1 by the addition of ethanol, and the increment surpassed the estimation of the classical Born model with continuum solvent media. UV-vis spectroscopy and electrochemical measurements at various mixing ratios of acetonitrile to ethanol revealed that the strong hydrogen bonding between ethanol and oxygen atoms of CA2- forms a 4 : 1 solvent-ion pair, while the ethanol molecules binding to CA2- dissociate upon its oxidation to CA˙-. The local solvation structures of CA2- are in good agreement with density functional theory. This order-disorder transition of the local solvation structure around the CA˙-/2- ions produces a large entropy change and results in a large Se value. The tailored solvation structure of redox ions by hydrogen bonding is a versatile method applicable to a variety of redox pairs and solvents, contributing to the development of electrolyte engineering for thermocells.

Direct Conversion of Phase-Transition Entropy into Electrochemical Thermopower and the Peltier Effect

A thermocell generates thermopower from a temperature difference (ΔT) between two electrodes. The converse process of thermocells is an electrochemical Peltier effect, which creates a ΔT on the electrodes by applying an external current. The Seebeck coefficient (Se ) of the electrochemical system is proportional to the entropy change of the redox reaction; therefore, a redox system having a significant entropy change is expected to increase the Se . In this study, a thermoresponsive polymer having a redox-active moiety, poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-co-N-(2-acrylamide ethyl)-N'-n-propylviologen) (PNV), is used as the redox species of a thermocell. PNV2+ dication undergoes the coil-globule phase transition upon the reduction to PNV+ cation radical, and a large entropy change is introduced because water molecules are freed from the polymer chains. The Se of PNV thermocell drastically increased to +2.1 mV K-1 at the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNV. The entropy change calculated from the increment of Se agrees with the value evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry. Moreover, the electrochemical Peltier effect is observed when the device temperature is increased above the LCST. This study shows that the large entropy change associated with the coil-globule phase transition can be used in electrochemical thermal management and refrigeration technologies.

Advancement of Electrochemical Thermoelectric Conversion with Molecular Technology

Thermocells are a thermoelectric conversion technology that utilizes the shift in an electrochemical equilibrium arising from a temperature difference. This technology has a long history; however, its low conversion efficiency impedes its practical usage. Recently, an increasing number of reports have shown drastic improvements in thermoelectric conversion efficiency, and thermocells could arguably represent an alternative to solid thermoelectric devices. In this Minireview, we regard thermocells as molecular systems consisting of successive molecular processes responding to a temperature change to achieve energy generation. Various molecular technologies have been applied to thermocells in recent years, and could stimulate diverse research fields, including supramolecular chemistry, physical chemistry, electrochemistry, and solid-state ionics. These research approaches will also provide novel methods for achieving a sustainable society in the future.

Electrochemical cell recharging by solvent separation and transfer processes

Electrochemical conversion and storage of unutilized renewable energy will contribute to decarbonization. Here, we create the concept of a liquid electrochemical cell that discharges between the anodic and cathodic sides by reverse reactions of the same redox couple in different solvation states, which are created by differences in the mixture ratios of two solvents called the main solvent (MS) and the transferred solvent (TS). The cell can be charged by a transfer of the TS between the discharged anolyte and catholyte. As an example, we demonstrate a cell utilizing a ferro-/ferricyanide redox couple. Stable discharging and charging via the proposed method is achieved by utilizing water (MS) and acetone (TS). Additionally, dominating factors in the design of a high-performance system are discussed, focusing on the electron acceptability of the MS and the TS. The cell voltages are successfully tuned, and a cell voltage of 0.63 V is achieved by the combination of dimethyl sulfoxide (MS) and water (TS). Moreover, the cell can be customized by various electrochemical reaction systems, which can allow multiple options for the charging processes. This concept provides new approaches for the utilization of diverse energy sources as an input for the charging of electrochemical cells.