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An Enhanced Electrode via Coupling with a Conducting Molecule to Extend Interfacial Reactions
Author(s) -
Deng DingRong,
Yuan RuMing,
Yu PeiKai,
Xue Fei,
Fan XiaoXiang,
Lei Jie,
Zhang JieLing,
Lin XiaoDong,
Wu QiHui,
Fan JingMin,
Chang JengKuei,
Hong WenJing,
Zheng MingSen,
Dong QuanFeng
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.202101156
Subject(s) - electrode , materials science , electrochemistry , molecule , chemically modified electrode , nanotechnology , scanning tunneling microscope , chemical physics , chemical engineering , working electrode , chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
An electron conductive matrix, or collector, facilitates electron transport in an electrochemical device. It is stationary and does not change during the entire operation once it is built. The interface of this matrix and an electrode is constructed at a 2D level at the micro‐scale, and naturally limits the breadth and depth of electrochemical reactions. Herein, the idea of an enhanced electrode coupled with a conducting molecule that can extend interfacial reactions is first introduced. With a spatialized interspace, this electrode can change the present understanding of the electrode process and opens up a new realm of electrode‐based reaction chemistry. A lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery is used as the target for implementing the enhanced electrode owing to the complex multi‐electron reaction. Through the interaction of π–π stacking between graphite‐based carbon and iron (II) phthalocyanine (FePc), soluble FePc can be decorated on the surface of an electrode that has the capability of transporting electrons. The scanning tunneling microscope break junction characterization and density functional theory indicate that FePc has a strong molecular electronic conductivity. The reactants obtain electrons more easily from the conducting molecule than from the collector directly. As a result, the performance of the corresponding Li–S battery considerably improves.