All-organic aqueous batteries consisting of quinone-hydroquinone derivatives with proton/aluminum-ion co-insertion mechanism

Abstract

All-organic aqueous batteries are deemed attractive energy storage systems for some application scenarios demanding recyclability or wearability. The efficient redox activity of quinone/hydroquinone-derived couples in biosystems inspires us to develop advanced batteries based on them. However, designing such an all-organic aqueous battery is challenging in selecting suitable electrolytes and active materials. A possible battery configuration consisting of the 9, 10-anthraquinone (AQ) anode, hydroquinone derivatives cathode, and weak acid metal-ion aqueous electrolyte is demonstrated herein. The molecular configuration of quinones and ionic type of electrolytes affect the redox behaviors of electrodes. Gratifyingly, a combination of AQ-tetrachlorohydroquinone-Al2(SO4)3 exhibits optimal performance. The underlying work mechanism of this full-battery configuration is disclosed by electrochemical and structural characterizations, finding that H+ and Al3+ are jointly involved in the redox reaction of quinone electrodes, and Al3+ plays a crucial role. This work inaugurates a new framework for designing an all-organic aqueous battery.