Molecular Imprinting: Does It Play a Role in the Reduction of Oxidized Redox Shuttle Molecules

Abstract

Molecular imprinting is proposed as a mechanism to explain the reduction of oxidized redox shuttle species at a carbonaceous anode in a lithium ion cell. Electrochemical and lithium ion cell experiments were run to evaluate this hypothesis. The apparent diffusion coefficient of ferrocene was determined at a pristine glassy carbon electrode without an SEI layer and with an SEI layer formed in the absence or presence of ferrocene. Lithium iron phosphate - graphite cells were formed in the presence or absence of a redox shuttle molecule and the voltage of the cell during overcharge was measured, along with the discharge capacity. The data supports the hypothesis that molecular imprinting does play a role in the reduction of oxidized redox shuttle molecules. The molecular imprinting of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer with template electrolyte species present during SEI formation provides functional porosity at a molecular level.