Battery Concepts in Physical Chemistry: Making Your Own Organic–Inorganic Battery

Abstract

On the basis of recent advances in battery research and technology, we have developed a novel laboratory exercise centered on an organic−inorganic battery using the redox chemistry of the organic molecule anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonic acid disodium salt (AQDS). Although most commercially available batteries are based on inorganic redox couples, the development of batteries based on organic redox active materials has great potential for stationary energy storage. As such, the experiment described in this report exposes students to state-of-the-art battery technology, despite a rather simple experimental protocol. The exercise allows students to acquire hands-on learning and visualize central concepts of the Nernst equation, battery technology and components, half-cell reactions, charging/discharging tests, and performance analysis. Additionally, students are required to operate a range of key electronic instruments, including multimeters, power supplies, and electronic loads. This laboratory exercise is part of a third semester undergraduate course in physical chemistry and can be completed in a single laboratory session. Student feedback shows that the experimental work, coupled with a written report, significantly broadens student understanding of the electrochemistry of batteries.

Connecting Theory to Life: Learning Greener Electrochemistry by Taking Apart a Common Battery

“…This includes examining difficulties students have learning the science content, their affective views regarding the content, and instructors’ perspectives on how to evaluate students’ learning of the science content. In this component, we reviewed research on misconceptions, alternative views, and sources of these that students have about electrochemistry and batteries. − To better understand instructors’ perspectives on assessing student understanding of electrochemistry and battery concepts, we reviewed studies of instructors’ topic-specific knowledge of electrochemistry, , and approaches that have been taken by others to address electrochemistry learning. − We also examined studies that specifically addressed electrochemistry and batteries in terms of students’ attitudes and views. − …”

“…As with the survey data, p -values of <0.05 were considered significant, and these differences were further explored using effect size (information on effect size calculations in Supporting Information). , Additionally, using NVivo, a common word count was performed on students’ responses related to the applicability of electrochemistry to their daily lives . To account for differences in response numbers and lengths of responses, we compared words with a frequency greater than 1.10% weighted percentage (which equated to the top ∼15 most frequent words) in treatment and green-control responses to Q4.…”

“…The treatment group reported greater relevance ( p < 0.001, medium effect), impact ( p < 0.001, small effect), and interest ( p < 0.001, medium effect), as summarized in Table . These findings are aligned with the previously reported student preference for laboratories which relate to everyday life context. , The free-response analysis on the question regarding the principles of green chemistry indicated a similar result. While both groups listed green components of the lab, such as recycling of batteries or their role in reducing pollution, 46% of the green-control group and 11% of the treatment group responses were coded as “Did not relate to green chemistry at all”.…”

“…Chemical Thinking shifts the focus of learning from knowing chemistry to doing chemistry. , In line with the context-based approach, this perspective on learning electrochemistry begins with relevance to students and necessitates the practice of using the laboratory content to grapple with questions that chemistry is uniquely positioned to answer. Combining the relevant subject of batteries with a green chemistry orientation elicits the core question of understanding and controlling the consequences of using and producing chemicals (i.e., benefits–costs–risks reasoning). , The central task of this inquiry laboratory activity essentially asks students to figure out the following: “How does an AA battery work, and how can we make it better?” The inquiry is designed to challenge students to shift from intuitive toward normative benefits–costs–risks thinking about batteries . Specifically, the lab addresses affective decision making based on surface characteristics (e.g., preferring a certain brand of battery due to familiarity) by strengthening students’ application of knowledge related to specific substances used in batteries and evaluation of how effectively a particular battery functions.…”

“…Because of this prevalence, electrochemistry has long been argued to be an important component of the general chemistry curriculum, and it is included in the most recent anchoring concepts content map for general chemistry . Yet most instructional materials, with the exception of some upper-level laboratories, − do not connect what is learned about electrochemistry to how actual batteries work . An understanding of everyday chemistry is critical to the functioning of scientifically literate individuals in society …”