Investigation of Oxidant Molecules for Use in an Organic Redox Flow Cell

Abstract

Growing concern over climate change has driven the growth of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. One of the key steps to achieving large scale renewable energy is effective, inexpensive, long-lifetime, and efficient energy storage methods. Redox flow cells are an up-and-coming technology revived after years of near dormancy, but research is still necessary to surpass the current mainstays of energy storage. Five previously untested compounds were tested for suitability in a redox flow cell. Focus was on organic molecules such as phenazine, phenazine methosulfate, erioglaucine A, and sodium diphenylamine-4-sulfonate. Potassium ferrocene disulfonate was also made and tested in the lab due to the well-known electrochemistry of ferrocene. Phenazine and phenazine methosulfate were found to degrade in the presence of light, erioglaucine A shows no electrochemical activity, and sodium diphenylamine-4-sulfonate produced unexpected products when oxidized. Potassium ferrocene disulfonate was the most successful of the compounds. AQDS, a previously studied fuel molecule, was tested in the same solution as potassium ferrocene disulfonate before the two compounds were put together in a basic electrochemical cell. Although cell cycling did not achieve desired results, this research suggests new avenues of study, including redox indicator molecules and cyclophanes.