A novel cathode material based on polystyrene with pendant TEMPO moieties obtained via click reaction and its use in rechargeable batteries

Sertkol S. B., Sinirlioglu D., Esat B., Muftuoglu A. E.

JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH, vol.22, no.7, 2015 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 22 Issue: 7
  • Publication Date: 2015
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s10965-015-0777-4
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF POLYMER RESEARCH
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Yıldız Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

In the present study, a new type of cathode-active polymeric material was synthesized via a synthetic strategy which involves a series of high-yield and simple chemical reactions performed on a commercially available and relatively cheap polymer, poly(p-chloromethylstyrene). Polymeric support for the electro-active TEMPO was obtained by nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP) of p-chloromethyl styrene. This polystyrene derivative was converted to a polymer with pendant electro-active TEMPO radical groups via an azidation reaction which was followed by a click reaction with an alkyne functionalized TEMPO derivative. The obtained polystyrene bearing TEMPO radical polymer possessed a high spin density of 1.4x10(21) spin/g indicating that electro-active TEMPO groups were successfully attached to the polymer with high yield. The composite cathode material obtained by mixing this TEMPO functionalized polymer with graphite showed a reversible electrochemical redox behavior in a cyclic voltammetry (CV) study vs. Li metal anode. The Li-battery constructed using this cathode maintained 83 % of the its initial capacity (35 mAh/g) over 80 cycles with a cell potential of 3.8 V.