Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Vol.805, 171-176, 2017
Effect of charge transportation on high-rate discharge properties of organic radical batteries with gel-state cathode
Cross-linked poly(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-N-oxyl-4-yl methacrylate) (PTMA) gel with higher ionic conductivity tends to show a higher diffusion coefficient. The gel swollen in ethylene carbonate (EC)/dimethyl carbonate (DMC) (4:6, v/v)-based electrolyte exhibits the highest diffusion coefficient among the gels swollen in EC-based electrolytes. The ORB with the electrolyte shows the best discharging rate characteristics in the ORBs with EC-based electrolyte, and the capacity at the 40C-rate is 83% of the 1C-rate capacity. The gel swollen in acetonitrile-based electrolyte, which has extremely high ionic conductivity, shows an approximately 5 times higher diffusion coefficient than that of the gel swollen in the EC/DMC-based electrolyte. In the ORB with acetonitrile-based electrolyte, 70% of the 1C-rate capacity remains at 200C-rate discharge. The higher diffusion coefficient in charge transportation of the cross-linked PTMA gel leads to better discharge rate characteristics for the ORBs. We clarify that charge transportation in the PTMA gel is an important determining factor of discharge rate properties.
Keywords:Organic radical battery;Nitroxyl radical;Redox gel;Charge transportation;High rate discharge