Knowledge Bank

As technology and society continue to evolve, we are faced with an imminent energy crisis. We are rapidly depleting Lithium, the main resource used in batteries, yet demand for energy sources continues to increase. This work addresses this problem by investigating the potential of aqueous Zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) that utilize organic cathode materials to help facilitate the transition to sustainable energy. We focus on the use of 1,2,4,5-tetrazine derivatives in AZIBs, which benefit from the synthetic versatility and low cost. Several tetrazine derivatives were successfully synthesized and tested in batteries. Of those tested, 3,6-diphenyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine performed the best, which correspondingly led to the optimization of its testing conditions. After improving both the chemical and physical components of this battery, 3,6-diphenyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine was able to achieve 222 mAh g-1, which rivals state-of-the-art inorganic materials used in AZIBs. This organic material benefits from a unique redox mechanism that makes use of cooperative insertion of Zn2+ and H+, ultimately benefiting the battery’s stability. A suitable candidate in the form of 3,6-diphenyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine was developed and optimized in the form of an AZIB that can compete with commonly used inorganic materials. The discovery of its unique redox mechanism shows promise for application in future AZIBs to bolster the growth of organic electrode materials. As a result, this discovery will help simplify the transition to sustainable energy sources.