Open AccessBioinspired Catechol‐Grafting PEDOT Cathode for an All‐Polymer Aqueous Proton Battery with High Voltage and Outstanding Rate Capacity
Author(s) -
Zhu Meihua,
Zhao Li,
Ran Qing,
Zhang Yingchao,
Peng Runchang,
Lu Geyu,
Jia Xiaoteng,
Chao Danming,
Wang Caiyun
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
advanced science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.388
H-Index - 100
ISSN - 2198-3844
DOI - 10.1002/advs.202103896
Subject(s) - materials science , anode , chemical engineering , cathode , electrochemistry , pedot:pss , polymer , electrochemical kinetics , aqueous solution , redox , electrolyte , battery (electricity) , conductive polymer , energy storage , electrode , nanotechnology , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , metallurgy
Aqueous all‐polymer proton batteries (APPBs) consisting of redox‐active polymer electrodes are considered safe and clean renewable energy storage sources. However, there remain formidable challenges for APPBs to withstand a high current rate while maximizing high cell output voltage within a narrow electrochemical window of aqueous electrolytes. Here, a capacitive‐type polymer cathode material is designed by grafting poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) with bioinspired redox‐active catechol pendants, which delivers high redox potential (0.60 V vs Ag/AgCl) and remarkable rate capability. The pseudocapacitive‑dominated proton storage mechanism illustrated by the density functional theory (DFT) calculation and electrochemical kinetics analysis is favorable for delivering fast charge/discharge rates. Coupled with a diffusion‐type anthraquinone‐based polymer anode, the APPB offers a high cell voltage of 0.72 V, outstanding rate capability (64.8% capacity retention from 0.5 to 25 A g −1 ), and cycling stability (80% capacity retention over 1000 cycles at 2 A g −1 ), which is superior to the state‐of‐the‐art all‐organic proton batteries. This strategy and insight provided by DFT and ex situ characterizations offer a new perspective on the delicate design of polymer electrode patterns for high‐performance APPBs.