Jerick Hartono
Pronouns: He/Him
Research Mentor(s): Anne McNeil, Professor
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Chemistry, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Presentation Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021
Session: Session 1 (10am-10:50am)
Breakout Room: Room 15
Presenter: 1
Abstract
Advancement in renewable energy harvesting has led to a demand for large-scale energy storage — redox flow batteries are good candidates for this purpose. However, commercially available redox flow batteries face some challenges: their narrow stable electrochemical window of water (<1.5 V), their high cost of the metal salts used in them, and low energy density due to poor solubility of organic molecules in an aqueous system. A solution to this problem is using non-aqueous redox flow batteries; since it's a relatively new technology, more redox-active molecules are still being discovered and characterized. N-containing heterocycles, like 1,8-Napthalic anhyrdride, are promising candidates due to their electron-acceptor properties. 1,8-Napthalic anhydride molecules have been reported to undergo reversible reduction. The electrochemical stability of 1,8-Napthalic anhydride molecules can be explored via cyclic voltammetry and symmetric bulk electrolysis cycling to simulate a battery environment. These studies will help us conclude if 1,8-Napthalic anhydrides are, in fact, promising candidates for redox flow battery applications: the cyclic voltammogram must be reversible and show no loss in current over several cycles; the bulk cycling for the molecule should also have a minimal capacity loss over 100 charge/discharge cycles. Promising results from 1,8-Napthalic anhydride's electrochemical stability in non-aqueous solvents will allow us to explore the effects of different substituents to improve its electrochemical properties; in doing so, propels the benefits of renewable energy while simultaneously breaking the cycle of environmental damage.
Authors: Jerick Hartono, Gloria De La Garza, Anne McNeil
Research Method: Laboratory Research
