Polymers for Electrochemical Energy

驱动下一代技术的两类功能性大分子是离子导电聚合物（用于电化学能量转换）和π共轭聚合物（用于有机电子）。通过设计和合成选定的功能性大分子，该计划探索其分子结构，形态和性能之间的关系，旨在提供基础知识和培训的平台，以促进下一代电化学能源技术的发展。 对离子导电聚合物，特别是H+和OH-导电聚合物的兴趣随着电化学能量转换技术（例如，燃料电池、电解槽、氧化还原液流电池、太阳能燃料装置）。全氟磺酸（PFSA）离聚物是典型的质子传导聚合物，其聚合物链组织起来以在薄膜中提供离子通道;但它具有显著的、众所周知的缺点。在碱性介质的必然情况下，用于氢氧化物输送膜的聚合物通常具有共价键合到聚合物主链上的季铵基团，但这些基团在高碱性溶液中的稳定性差。 新兴电化学技术的聚合物膜的发展中的一个重要发展涉及探索策略，耦合聚合物的易加工特性与在固态中形成长程有序，以促进离子传输。在阴离子传输材料的情况下，设计对腐蚀性环境稳定的有机聚合物的复杂性是另外的挑战。 该研究计划的主要目标是探索新型含离子聚合物的设计合成策略，这些聚合物可用于进一步了解分子结构如何控制聚合物形态，进而了解形态如何在开发耐用固体聚合物电解质的背景下促进离子传输。该计划中的子项目涉及基于碳氢化合物，质子和氢氧化物传导聚合物的结构控制，并建立在我们实验室最近开发的两种非常不同的低聚物构建块上。 此外，在开发固体聚合物电解质计划的背景下，我们将在π共轭聚合物电极上开发光电化学的跨学科领域。该计划旨在研究一种涉及固体聚合物电解质中π共轭聚合物的聚合物合成，电化学和光电化学的策略，未来的目标是从太阳辐照的有机薄膜中释放氢。

Two classes of functional macromolecules that are driving next-generation technologies are Ion-Conducting Polymers (for electrochemical energy conversion) and Pi-Conjugated Polymers (for organic electronics). Through the design and synthesis of selected functional macromolecules this program explores the relationships between their molecular structure, morphology, and properties designed to provide a platform of fundamental knowledge and training to foster the development of next generation electrochemical energy technologies. Interest in ion-conducting polymers, particularly H+ and OH- conducting, has grown commensurately with the emergence of electrochemical energy conversion technologies (e.g., fuel cells, electrolyzers, redox flow batteries, solar fuel devices). Perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) ionomer, for which the polymer chains organize to provide ionic channels in thin films, is the quintessential proton-conducting polymer; but it has significant, well-known shortcomings. In the corollary case of alkaline media, polymers employed for hydroxide-transporting membranes typically possess quaternary ammonium groups covalently bonded to a polymer backbone, but the stability of these groups is poor in highly alkaline solutions. An important development in the evolution of polymer films for emerging electrochemical technologies involves exploring strategies that couple the ease-of-processing characteristics of polymers with the formation of long range order in the solid state to promote ionic transport. In the case of anion transporting materials the complexity of designing organic polymers that are stable to caustic environments is an additional challenge. The primary objective of this program of research is the exploration of synthetic strategies towards the design of novel ion-containing polymers that can be used to further understand how molecular structure controls polymer morphology and, in turn, how the morphology facilitates ion-transport in the context of developing durable solid polymer electrolytes. Sub-projects within this program address the structural control of hydrocarbon-based, proton- and hydroxide-conducting polymers, and builds on two very different oligomeric building blocks recently developed in our laboratory. In addition, in the context of developing a program in solid polymer electrolytes, we will develop an interdisciplinary field of photoelectrochemistry at pi-conjugated polymer electrodes. This program is aimed at investigating a strategy involving polymer synthesis, electrochemistry, and photoelectrochemistry of pi-conjugated polymers in solid polymer electrolytes, with the future goal of liberating hydrogen from solar-irradiated organic films.