All-Organic Battery Composed of Thianthrene- and TCAQ-Based Polymers

An all-organic battery consisting of two redox-polymers, namely poly-(2-vinylthianthrene) and poly(2-methacrylamide-TCAQ) is assembled. This all-organic battery shows excellent performance characteristics, namely flat discharge plateaus, an output voltage exceeding 1.3 V, and theoretical capacities of both electrodes higher than 100 mA h g(-1). Both organic electrode materials are synthesized in two respective three synthetic steps using the free-radical polymerization technique. Li-organic batteries manufactured from these polymers prove their suitability as organic electrode materials. The cathode material poly(2-vinylthianthrene) (3) displays a discharging plateau at 3.95 V versus Li+/Li and a discharge capacity of 105 mA h g(-1), corresponding to a specific energy of about 415 mW h g(-1). The anode material poly(2-methacrylamide-TCAQ) (7) exhibits an initial discharge capacity of 130 mA h g(-1), corresponding to 94% material activity. The combination of both materials results in an all-organic battery with a discharge voltage of 1.35 V and an initial discharge capacity of 105 mA h g(-1) (95% material activity).