Bromine doped polydithienothiophene: a cathode-active material in aqueous medium

Abstract

The possibility of doping neutral pDTT by electrochemical oxidation in aqueous medium with ZnBr 2 as electrolyte, to test the feasibility of the polymer as cathode-active material, is investigated. Spectroscopical and voltammetric evidence of the pDTT doped process is shown, and the stored charge capacity for the bromine doped pDTT as well as the performance of bromine doped pDTT as a cathode-active material is evaluated. A relatively fast self-discharge of doped polymer electrodes, left standing in electrolytic medium, was observed. There is, nevertheless, no irreversible degradation of the material. The polymer is rechargeable and returns to its initial charge-discharge cycle capacity.