РНФ №20-73-00058

(2020-2022)

Annotation

The project is devoted to the creation of novel electrode materials for metal-ion, and primarily lithium-ion batteries based on conductive polymers and sulfonated polycatechols. The main objective of the project is to increase the energy density of electrode materials.

The relevance of the work arises from the widespread use of lithium-ion batteries in all spheres of human activity. Today, the acute problem is the lack of gravimetric energy density of lithium-ion batteries. The bottleneck that limits the energy density of a modern lithium-ion batteries is the insufficient specific capacity of traditional cathode materials based on transition metal oxides. In addition, their ecological compatibility and safety stays at an unsatisfactory level.

The shift to the organic cathode materials capable of multi-electron redox transitions and, at the same time, more environmentally friendly and safe, may provide the solution for this problem. This determines the relevance of the task of developing new organic cathode materials with a high specific capacity.

The novelty of the project is assured by the proposed approach to the design of electrode materials. New polymers containing the catechol/ortho-quinone redox pair, which has a higher oxidation/reduction potential compared to the more studied hydroquinone/para-quinone pair, will be synthesized and used as a component providing a high capacity of the electrode material. These polymers will be modified by introducing anionic groups, which will allow them to be used as a dopant for a conductive polymer. At present, both interpolymeric materials consisting of a conductive polymer and an uncharged redox polymer are known, as well as conductive polymers doped with small redox active anions, however, an approach combining these ideas has not yet been implemented.

During the project, a series of sulfonated polycatechols with different degrees of sulfonation will be synthesized. Based on the obtained anionic polymers, interpolymer materials with poly(ethylenedioxythiophene), which are promising cathode materials for metal-ion and, primarily, lithium-ion batteries, will be obtained. The structure, composition and electrochemical properties of the resulting materials will be studied. The energy storage characteristics of the cathodes based on these materials will be determined.

The scale and complexity of the problem are ensured by the necessity for researches in the fields of synthesis of anionic polycatechols, obtaining interpolymer materials, their characterization and studies of their electrochemical properties.

Attainability of the goal is ensured by the current results of the scientific team in the field of creating interpolymer materials conductive polymer: redox polymer. The team members have sufficient experience in organic and polymer synthesis, the preparation and characterization of materials, as well as their study by electrochemical methods.

Expected results

As a result of the project, a series of sulfonated polycatechols with different degrees of sulfonation will be obtained. Based on the obtained anionic polymers, interpolymer materials with poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) will be obtained, which will be tested as cathode materials for metal-ion and, primarily, lithium-ion batteries. The structure, composition and electrochemical properties of the resulting materials will be studied. The energy storage characteristics of the cathodes based on these materials will be determined.

The creation of energy-intensive organic electrode materials for batteries is highlighted in many works from high-ranking journals, which indicates the value of project theme and expected results at the world level of research. At the same time, to the best of the author’s knowledge, no examples of creating interpolymer materials based on a conductive polymer and anionic redox polymer are known, which leads to the novelty of the study.

In case of the successful implementation of the project, cathode materials will be obtained, that will increase the gravimetric energy density of metal-ion, and in particular, lithium-ion batteries, which is of great practical interest and can be used for the production of new, more capacious, environmentally friendly and safe lithium-ion batteries.