Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs) are candidate materials for charge storage devices because of their micro- or mesoporosity, high surface area, and ability to predictably organize redox-active groups. The limited chemical and oxidative stability of established COF linkages, such as boroxines and boronate esters, precludes these applications, and no 2D COF has demonstrated reversible redox behavior. Here we describe a β-ketoenamine-linked 2D COF that exhibits reversible electrochemical processes of its anthraquinone subunits, excellent chemical stability to a strongly acidic electrolyte, and one of the highest surface areas of the imine- or enamine-linked 2D COFs. Electrodes modified with the redox-active COF show higher capacitance than those modified with a similar non-redox-active COF, even after 5000 charge-discharge cycles. These findings demonstrate the promise of using 2D COFs for capacitive storage.

Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs) are ideally suited for organizing redox-active subunits into periodic, permanently porous polymer networks of interest for pseudocapacitive energy storage. Here we describe a method for synthesizing crystalline, oriented thin films of a redox-active 2D COF on Au working electrodes. The thickness of the COF film was controlled by varying the initial monomer concentration. A large percentage (80-99%) of the anthraquinone groups are electrochemically accessible in films thinner than 200 nm, an order of magnitude improvement over the same COF prepared as a randomly oriented microcrystalline powder. As a result, electrodes functionalized with oriented COF films exhibit a 400% increase in capacitance scaled to electrode area as compared to those functionalized with the randomly oriented COF powder. These results demonstrate the promise of redox-active COFs for electrical energy storage and highlight the importance of controlling morphology for optimal performance.

Replacing platinum by a less precious metal such as palladium, is highly desirable for lowering the cost of fuel-cell electrocatalysts. However, the instability of palladium in the harsh environment of fuel-cell cathodes renders its commercial future bleak. Here we show that by incorporating trace amounts of gold in palladium-based ternary (Pd6CoCu) nanocatalysts, the durability of the catalysts improves markedly. Using aberration-corrected analytical transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we show that gold not only galvanically replaces cobalt and copper on the surface, but also penetrates through the Pd–Co–Cu lattice and distributes uniformly within the particles. The uniform incorporation of Au provides a stability boost to the entire host particle, from the surface to the interior. The spontaneous replacement method we have developed is scalable and commercially viable. This work may provide new insight for the large-scale production of non-platinum electrocatalysts for fuel-cell applications.

X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements have been employed to determine structural and bonding changes, as a function of the lithium content/state of charge, of germanium nanowires used as the active anode material within lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Our data, collected throughout the course of battery cycling (operando), indicate that lithium incorporation within the nanostructured germanium occurs heterogeneously, preferentially into amorphous regions over crystalline domains. Maintenance of the molecular structural integrity within the germanium nanowire is dependent on the depth of discharge. Discharging to a shallower cutoff voltage preserves partial crystallinity for several cycles.

Reaction of the tricopper(I)-dinitrogen tris(β-diketiminate) cyclophane, Cu(N)L, with O-atom-transfer reagents or elemental Se affords the oxido-bridged tricopper complex Cu(μ-O)L (2) or the corresponding Cu(μ-Se)L (4), respectively. For 2 and 4, incorporation of the bridging chalcogen donor was supported by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) data. Cu L-edge X-ray absorption data quantify 49.5% Cu 3d character in the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of 2, with Cu 3d participation decreasing to 33.0% in 4 and 40.8% in the related sulfide cluster Cu(μ-S)L (3). Multiedge XAS and UV/visible/near-IR spectra are employed to benchmark density functional theory calculations, which describe the copper-chalcogen interactions as highly covalent across the series of [Cu(μ-E)] clusters. This result highlights that the metal-ligand covalency is not reserved for more formally oxidized metal centers (i.e., Cu + O vs Cu + O) but rather is a significant contributor even at more typical ligand-field cases (i.e., Cu + E). This bonding is reminiscent of that observed in p-block elements rather than in early-transition-metal complexes.