Redox-active organic molecules are promising charge-storage materials for redox-flow batteries (RFBs), but material crossover between the posolyte and negolyte and chemical degradation are limiting factors in the performance of all-organic RFBs. We demonstrate that the bipolar electrochemistry of 1,2,4-benzotriazin-4-yl (Blatter) radicals allows the construction of batteries with symmetrical electrolyte composition. Cyclic voltammetry shows that these radicals also retain reversible bipolar electrochemistry in the presence of water. The redox potentials of derivatives with a C(3)-CF 3 substituent are the least affected by water, and moreover, these compounds show >90% capacity retention after charge/discharge cycling in a static H-cell for 7 days (ca. 100 cycles). Testing these materials in a flow regime at a 0.1 M concentration of the active material confirmed the high cycling stability under conditions relevant for RFB operation and demonstrated that polarity inversion in a symmetrical flow battery may be used to rebalance the cell. Chemical synthesis provides insight in the nature of the charged species by spectroscopy and (for the oxidized state) X-ray crystallography. The stability of these compounds in all three states of charge highlights their potential for application in symmetrical organic redox-flow batteries.

Recent developments toward high-energy-density all-organic redox flow batteries suggest the advantageous use of molecules exhibiting multielectron redox events. Following this approach, organic anolytes are developed that feature multiple consecutive one-electron reductions. These anolytes are based on N-methylphthalimide, which exhibits a single reversible reduction at a low potential with good cycling stability. Derivatives with two or three imide groups were synthesized to enable multielectron reduction events. By incorporating suitably designed side chains, a volumetric capacity of 65 Ah/L is achieved in electrolyte solutions. Bulk-electrolysis experiments and UV−vis−NIR absorption spectroscopy revealed good cycling stability for the first and second reduction of monoamides and diimides, respectively, but a loss of stability for the third reduction of triimides. We identify N-2-pentyl-N′-2-(2-(2methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethylaminepyromellitic diimide as a very promising multielectron anolyte with an excellent volumetric capacity and superior cycling and shelf-life stability compared to monoimides and triimides. The outstanding performance of this anolyte was demonstrated in proof-of-principle redox flow batteries that reach an energy density of 24.1 Wh/L.

Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) exhibits two reversible oxidation steps and is used as a novel multi-electron catholyte for nonaqueous organic redox flow batteries. To increase solubility in polar organic solvents, TTF derivatives with polar side chains are synthesized. 4-Methoxymethyltetrathiafulvalene emerges as a promising two-electron catholyte because it is a liquid at room temperature and miscible with acetonitrile. Bulk-electrolysis experiments and UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy reveal excellent cycling stability for the first and second electro-chemical oxidations. In the doubly oxidized state, the TTF derivatives show a reversible about 1 % loss of the state of charge per day, due to extrinsic effects. In a symmetric redox flow battery, 4-methoxymethyltetrathiafulvalene shows a volumetric capacity loss of only 0.2 % per cycle with a Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 99.6 %. In an asymmetric redox flow battery with a pyromellitic diimide as two-electron anolyte, the capacity loss is 0.8 % per cycle, with CE > 99 % in each cycle.

Redox-active organic molecules are promising charge-storage materials for redox-flow batteries (RFBs), but material crossover between posolyte/negolyte and chemical degradation are limiting factors in the performance of all-organic RFBs. We demonstrate that the bipolar electrochemistry of 1,2,4-benzotriazin-4-yl (Blatter) radicals allows construction of batteries with symmetric electrolyte composition. Cyclic voltammetry shows that these radicals retain reversible bipolar electrochemistry also in the presence of water. The redox potentials of derivatives with a C(3)-CF3 substituent are least affected by water and, moreover, these compounds show >90% capacity retention after charge/discharge cycling in a static H-cell for seven days (ca. 100 cycles). Testing these materials in a flow regime at 0.1 M concentration of active material confirmed the high cycling stability under conditions relevant for RFB operation, and demonstrated that polarity inversion in a symmetric flow battery may be used to rebalance the cell. Chemical synthesis provides insight in the nature of the charged species by spectroscopy and (for the oxidized state) X-ray crystallography. The stability of these compounds in all three states of charge highlights the potential for application in symmetric organic redox-flow batteries.

Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are very promising storage systems in the transition towards renewable energy sources. They can be broadly classified in aqueous and non-aqueous systems. Last-named operate with organic solvents, which allow for a much broader potential window (up to three times higher) compared to water. Combination of organic solvents with organic redox active materials could pave the way for all carbon-based RFBs with superior energy densities compared to aqueous systems. In this contribution, newly developed organic electrolytes will be presented, focusing on their performance as RFB materials in acetonitrile with quaternary ammonium electrolyte salts. To push the limits of energy density, we investigated multi-electron reduction and oxidation reactions on a single molecule. As catholyte, tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) as a core structure was used. The unsubstituted TTF exhibits two reversible oxidation events (-0.04 and +0.34 V vs Fc/Fc+) but a poor solubility in acetonitrile. To optimize this and to achieve a higher oxidation potential a series of molecules with different side chains was synthesized. The resulting solubilities led to volumetric capacities of up to 71 Ah/L for the newly designed compounds. Electrochemical cycling stability was evaluated in bulk electrolysis, UV-Vis-NIR and flow cycling experiments. Current state-of-the-art anolytes based on N-methylphthalimide compounds exhibit one reversible reduction pair at a desirable low reduction potential (-1.87 V vs Fc/Fc+) and good cycling stability in bulk electrolysis experiments.[1] Expanding on this structure, new derivatives with one or two additional functional imide groups per phthalimide core were synthesized. Consequently, molecules with a single (-1.87 V vs Fc/Fc+), double (-1.26 and -1.88 V vs Fc/Fc+) and triple reduction event (-1.02, -1.65 and -2.37 V vs Fc/Fc+) can be obtained. To optimize their solubility in acetonitrile, a series of molecules with different side chains was synthesized for each of the three core structures. Determination of the solubility led to volumetric capacities of up to 66 Ah/L for the newly developed compounds. Additionally, we tested the electrochemical cycling stability in bulk electrolysis, UV-Vis-NIR, coin cell and flow cycling experiments. In the final flow battery, a high energy density of 24 Wh/L was achieved (at 1 M of transferred electrons).[2] All of this led to a critical comparison between the different molecular designs, cumulating in design rules that will influence future designs of the organic redox active compounds for organic RFBs. [1] Wei, X.; Duan, W.; Huang, J.; Zhang, L.; Li, B.; Reed, D.; Xu, W.; Sprenkle, V.; Wang, W. A High-Current, Stable Nonaqueous Organic Redox Flow Battery. ACS Energy Lett. 2016, 1, 705−711 [2] Daub, N.; Janssen, R. A. J.; Hendriks, K. H. Imide-Based Multielectron Anolytes as High-Performance Materials in Nonaqueous Redox Flow Batteries. ACS Appl. Energy Mater. 2021, 4, 9, 9248–9257