Rechargeable battery including organic battery

Abstract

Fast charge and high energy density are valuable battery properties. However, high performance batteries with both properties may be difficult to implement. Conventional high performance batteries rely on metal-based electrodes comprising materials that may be difficult to obtain. Provided herein are batteries having high capacity even during a fast charge-discharge cycle. In accordance with some embodiments, batteries provided herein include an organic electrode and an organic non-aqueous solvent system. The components of the organic electrode may additionally have advantages as they may be relatively easily available.

Description

[0001] Related Applications

[0002] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 410,461, filed on September 27, 2022, and entitled “RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES, INCLUDING ORGANIC BATTERIES,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] Battery compositions suitable for rapid, high capacity battery cycling are generally described. Background Art

[0004] Batteries typically lose capacity when subjected to rapid charge-discharge cycles. Batteries that maintain high capacity during charge-discharge cycling are desirable. Summary of the invention

[0005] Fast charging and high energy density are valuable battery attributes. However, high-performance batteries with these two attributes may be difficult to achieve. Many conventional high-performance batteries rely on metal-based electrodes containing materials that may be difficult to obtain. Provided herein are batteries with high capacity even during rapid charge-discharge cycles. According to some embodiments, the batteries provided herein include organic electrodes and organic non-aqueous solvent systems. The components of the organic electrodes may additionally have advantages because they can be relatively easily obtained. In some cases, the subject matter of the present disclosure relates to related products, alternative solutions to specific problems, and / or a plurality of different uses of one or more systems and / or articles.

[0006] According to one aspect, a battery is provided. In some embodiments, the battery comprises: an electrode comprising an active material, the active material comprising a bis-tetraamino-benzoquinone molecule and / or a dimer, tautomer, oligomer or polymer thereof of the following structure:

[0007] and an electrolyte comprising an organic non-aqueous solvent system.

[0008] In another aspect, a battery is provided. According to some embodiments, the battery comprises: an electrode comprising an organic active material, wherein the battery is configured such that when fully discharged, the battery can be charged to a capacity greater than or equal to 135 mAh per gram of electrode in less than or equal to 6 minutes.

[0009] In yet another aspect, a battery is provided. According to some embodiments, the battery comprises: an electrode comprising an active material; wherein the active material comprises at most trace amounts of Ni and Co; and wherein the battery is configured such that when fully discharged, the battery can be charged to a capacity greater than or equal to 135 mAh per gram of electrode in less than or equal to 6 minutes.

[0010] Other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of multiple non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the event that this specification and documents incorporated by reference include conflicting and / or inconsistent disclosures, this specification shall prevail. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Non-limiting embodiments of the present disclosure will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are schematic and are not intended to be drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated. In the drawings, each identical or nearly identical component shown is typically represented by a single numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component is labeled in every drawing, nor is every component of every embodiment of the disclosure shown, where illustration is not required for one of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present disclosure. In the drawings:

[0012] Figure 1 presents a schematic cross-sectional view of a battery according to some embodiments;

[0013] Figure 2 compares the voltage and specific capacity of exemplary single cell lithium ion batteries according to some embodiments;

[0014] Figure 3 compares the voltage and specific capacity of exemplary single cell lithium ion batteries according to some embodiments;

[0015] Figure 4 compares the voltage and specific capacity of exemplary single cell sodium ion batteries according to some embodiments;

[0016] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B compares the voltage and specific capacity of multiple batteries containing different electrolytes according to some embodiments;

[0017] Figure 6 Comparing the specific capacities of batteries charged at various charge rates according to some embodiments;

[0018] Figure 7 comparing energy densities of batteries charged at various power densities according to some embodiments;

[0019] Figure 8comparing the energy density of batteries according to some embodiments over time during discharge;

[0020] Fig. 9 shows the specific capacity of a non-limiting battery during discharge according to some embodiments; and

[0021] Fig.10 The specific capacity of a non-limiting battery according to some embodiments is shown subjected to charge-discharge cycling until it reaches 80% of its cycle life. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The high demand for electrification of the transportation field and decarbonization of the transportation network requires the development of improved battery systems. Some improvements can include high performance, long cycle life, fast charging, etc. Many commonly used batteries (usually lithium ion batteries with nickel-cobalt-manganese cathodes) may have undesirable slow charge / discharge times. In addition, these materials may be difficult and energy-intensive for sources. Some organic materials and electrodes and / or batteries that can contain them are provided herein, which show one or more of the high charge capacity of lithium ion batteries and fast charging and long cycle life (optionally in a single battery). In some cases, such organic materials can be more easily obtained than conventional battery materials, thereby providing additional benefits for their use.

[0023] Batteries as described in the present disclosure can have any of a variety of suitable structures or designs. Generally, a battery includes an electrode that contains an electrochemically active material (also referred to herein as an "active material") that can be a charge storage material. A battery can include more than one electrode, for example, a first electrode (e.g., a cathode) and a second electrode (e.g., an anode).

[0024] For the purposes of describing various embodiments herein, Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of an exemplary battery 101 is presented, which includes a first electrode 103 and a second electrode 105 separated by an electrolyte 107. The battery can include more than one active material. For example, the first electrode 103 can be or include a first active material, and the second electrode 107 can be or include a second active material. Multiple active materials can be provided in a single electrode, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0025] In one aspect, materials having favorable electrochemical properties are provided that can be used as electrodes, which themselves can be configured for use in batteries. Such materials will generally be referred to herein as "electrode materials," and they possess abundant redox active sites, making them suitable as high capacity and high power materials, because the redox active sites rapidly transport electronic and ionic charges throughout the bulk of the material (e.g., an electrode bulk comprising the material).

[0026] In one group of embodiments, the materials disclosed herein that can be configured to be used as battery electrodes are mainly or completely organic materials. These materials can provide great structural adjustability and synthetic feasibility for various designs of electrode materials utilizing earth-abundant elements. However, due to their poor intrinsic conductivity, limited electronic delocalization, and high solubility in electrolytes, many previous conventional organic molecules provide poor electrochemical performance. However, the organic materials used herein show enhanced charge transport, ion transport, and / or charge storage. The organic material can be an insoluble organic solid and can provide other additional or alternative advantages.

[0027] According to one aspect, an active material that can be used as an electrode that can be configured for a battery is provided (the material will be referred to as a "battery material" many times herein, and it should be understood that the material, while suitable for this use, can have other uses and / or can optionally be provided in a configuration that is not an electrode or a battery). A person of ordinary skill in the art will readily and accurately understand the meaning of a material that is "usable as an electrode". This means that the material itself and / or when combined with other substances that can be compounded, synthesized or otherwise combined with it provides the required level of cohesion and structural self-support (if it is required; in some cases, the material does not need to be self-supporting, but can be positioned with the help of auxiliary structures such as containers), electronic conductivity and ionic conductivity, and other characteristics that are considered useful. An electrode "configured for a battery" will also be readily understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the characteristics required for connection to a circuit (which can ultimately be connected to another electrode in a battery), engagement with an electrolyte (solid and / or liquid; without excessive damage / deterioration), etc. The technician will quickly recognize the various factors that will accompany such an electrode, and will understand which factors are optional and not necessary.

[0028] The active materials provided herein may include relatively limited amounts of certain metal atoms. For example, in some embodiments, the electrode includes an active material containing at most trace amounts of Ni and / or Co. In some embodiments, the active material in the electrode includes Ni and / or Co in an amount less than or equal to 5 wt %, less than or equal to 2 wt %, less than or equal to 1 wt %, less than or equal to 0.5 wt %, less than or equal to 0.2 wt %, less than or equal to 0.1 wt %, less than or equal to 0.05 wt %, less than or equal to 0.02 wt %, less than or equal to 0.01 wt % in total. Other ranges are also possible.

[0029] The inventors recognize and appreciate that fused aromatic materials, such as those comprising bis-tetraaminobenzoquinone (BTABQ) and oligomers and / or polymers thereof, can be used as electrode active materials and are suitable for use in batteries. Fused aromatic materials possess dense redox active sites in an aromatic skeleton with extended conjugation. In some embodiments, for example, the ratio of carbon to heteroatoms (e.g., N, O) of the material is less than 1.3. The material forms an insoluble solid in both organic and aqueous media through strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding and donor-acceptor π-π interactions. Fused aromatic materials, such as those comprising BTABQ and oligomers and / or polymers thereof, exhibit excellent charge storage capacity at high charge-discharge rates in various electrolytes. The advantageous properties of fused organic materials can be associated with electron delocalization and easy ion transport, which can be promoted by the dense presence of redox active groups in the fused aromatic material and the alternating arrangement of electron donor and electron acceptor aromatic rings.

[0030] According to certain embodiments, the composition of active materials is described. In some embodiments, the composition includes organic materials. In certain embodiments, for example, the composition includes fused aromatic systems. As used herein, the term "fused aromatic system" is given its common meaning in the art and generally refers to two or more cyclic (e.g., monocyclic, bicyclic, tricyclic, etc.) aromatic rings sharing a connecting bond and / or a plurality of two or more cyclic (e.g., monocyclic, bicyclic, tricyclic, etc.) aromatic rings sharing a connecting bond. In some embodiments, for example, a fused aromatic system can include one or more fused aromatic molecules containing at least two aromatic rings sharing a connecting bond. As will be generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, a fused aromatic system can be an extended conjugated system that advantageously promotes electronic charge delocalization and ionic charge diffusion.

[0031] As will be generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the fused aromatic system may comprise carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms. In certain embodiments, the fused aromatic system may comprise one or more heteroatoms replacing the carbon atoms. Examples of suitable heteroatoms include, for example, nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), sulfur (S) and / or selenium (Se).

[0032] According to certain embodiments, the fused aromatic system can have any of various suitable ratios of carbon atoms to heteroatoms (e.g., N, O, S and / or Se). Compared with systems having high carbon atoms to heteroatoms ratios (e.g., greater than 2), relatively low carbon atoms to heteroatoms ratios (e.g., less than 2) advantageously provide systems with more redox active sites, but are otherwise equivalent, thereby providing sufficient transmission pathways through the bulk of the material for electronic and / or ionic charges. In certain embodiments, for example, the fused aromatic system can contain a relatively large number of redox active sites, including but not limited to carbonyl, amine and / or imine groups. The presence of heteroatoms in the fused aromatic system can also advantageously provide an alternating arrangement of electron donor and electron acceptor aromatic rings, thereby promoting the transmission of electronic and / or ionic charges through the bulk of the material.

[0033] In some embodiments, the ratio of carbon atoms to heteroatoms in the fused aromatic system is greater than 1, greater than or equal to 1.1, greater than or equal to 1.2, greater than or equal to 1.3, greater than or equal to 1.4, greater than or equal to 1.5, greater than or equal to 1.6, greater than or equal to 1.7, greater than or equal to 1.8, or greater than or equal to 1.9. In certain embodiments, the ratio of carbon atoms to heteroatoms in the fused aromatic system is less than 2, less than or equal to or equal to 1.9, less than or equal to 1.8, less than or equal to 1.7, less than or equal to 1.6, less than or equal to 1.5, less than or equal to 1.4, less than or equal to 1.3, less than or equal to 1.2, or less than or equal to 1.1. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., the ratio of carbon atoms to heteroatoms in the fused aromatic system is greater than 1 to less than 2, and the ratio of carbon atoms to heteroatoms in the fused aromatic system is greater than 1.2 to less than 1.4). Other ranges are also possible.

[0034] In certain embodiments, at least a portion of the fused aromatic system can be interconnected via one or more hydrogen bonding interactions. In some embodiments, for example, at least a portion of the BTABQ molecules, their oligomers and / or polymers can interact with each other in a planar configuration and / or a two-dimensional configuration via hydrogen bonding. According to some embodiments, the hydrogen bonding interaction can be between one or more hydrogen atoms and one or more oxygen atoms (e.g., one or more oxygen atoms of a carbonyl group) and / or one or more nitrogen atoms (e.g., one or more nitrogen atoms of an amine group and / or an imine group). Without wishing to be bound by theory, the interconnection of the fused aromatic system via hydrogen bonding interactions can advantageously promote electronic charge delocalization and ionic charge diffusion through the fused aromatic system. In some embodiments, the interconnection of the fused aromatic system via hydrogen bonding can also advantageously produce solid materials that are insoluble in organic and aqueous media, thereby providing suitable materials for electrodes.

[0035] The fused aromatic system can have any of a variety of suitable hydrogen bonding interactions. In some embodiments, for example, the number of hydrogen bonding interactions in the fused aromatic system is greater than or equal to 0.1, greater than or equal to 0.2, greater than or equal to 0.3, greater than or equal to 0.4, greater than or equal to 0.5, greater than or equal to 0.6, greater than or equal to 0.7, greater than or equal to 0.8, or greater than or equal to 0.9 hydrogen bonds per mole of carbon atoms in the fused aromatic system. In certain embodiments, the number of hydrogen bonding interactions in the fused aromatic system is less than or equal to 1, less than or equal to 0.9, less than or equal to 0.8, less than or equal to 0.7, less than or equal to 0.6, less than or equal to 0.5, less than or equal to 0.4, less than or equal to 0.3, or less than or equal to 0.2 hydrogen bonds per mole of carbon atoms in the fused aromatic system, and is greater than or equal to 0.33 to less than or equal to 1 hydrogen bond per mole of carbon atoms. Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., the number of hydrogen bonding interactions in the fused aromatic system is greater than or equal to 0.1 to less than or equal to 1 hydrogen bond per mole of carbon atoms in the fused aromatic system). Other ranges are also possible. In certain embodiments, the number of hydrogen bonding interactions in the fused aromatic system can be determined by structural and elemental analysis.

[0036] The fused aromatic system can have any of a variety of suitable π-π interactions (e.g., donor-acceptor π-π interactions). For example, in certain embodiments, at least a portion of the fused aromatic system is configured to be in a stacked configuration and / or a three-dimensional configuration via one or more π-π interactions. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the interconnection of the fused aromatic system via π-π interactions can advantageously promote electronic charge delocalization and ionic charge diffusion through the fused aromatic system. In some embodiments, the interconnection of the fused aromatic system via π-π can also advantageously produce a solid material that is insoluble in organic and aqueous media, thereby providing a suitable material for an electrode.

[0037] In some embodiments, the average interlayer distance between the portions of the fused aromatic system that are configured to assume a stacked configuration and / or a three-dimensional configuration via one or more π-π interactions may be greater than or equal to Greater than or equal to Greater than or equal to or greater than or equal to In certain embodiments, the average interlayer distance between the portions of the fused aromatic system that are configured to assume a stacked configuration and / or a three-dimensional configuration via one or more π-π interactions may be less than or equal to Less than or equal to Less than or equal to or less than or equal to Combinations of the above-referenced ranges are also possible (e.g., an average interlayer distance between portions of the fused aromatic system that are configured to assume a stacked configuration and / or a three-dimensional configuration via one or more π-π interactions is greater than or equal to to less than or equal to The average interlayer distance between the portions of the fused aromatic system that are arranged in a stacked configuration and / or a three-dimensional configuration via one or more π-π interactions is greater than or equal to to less than or equal to ). Other ranges are also possible. In certain embodiments, the average interlayer distance between portions of the fused aromatic system that are configured to be in a stacked configuration and / or a three-dimensional configuration via one or more π-π interactions can be determined by structural analysis and / or microscopic methods.

[0038] As described herein, due at least in part to hydrogen bonding interactions and / or π-π interactions of the fused aromatic system, the composition can have low solubility in organic and aqueous solvents at ambient temperature and pressure. In some embodiments, since the fused aromatic system can be used as an electrode active material, it can be advantageous for the composition to have low solubility in organic and aqueous solvents.

[0039] The fused aromatic system can have any of various suitable solubilities. In certain embodiments, for example, the solubility of the fused aromatic system is less than or equal to less than or equal to 2 mmoles per liter of solvent (e.g., organic solvent and / or aqueous solvent), less than or equal to 1.5 mmoles per liter of solvent, less than or equal to 1 mmoles per liter of solvent, less than or equal to 0.5 mmoles per liter of solvent, or less. According to some embodiments, the solubility of the fused aromatic system is greater than 0 mmoles per liter of solvent (e.g., organic solvent and / or aqueous solvent), greater than or equal to 0.1 mmoles per liter of solvent, greater than or equal to 0.5 mmoles per liter of solvent, greater than or equal to 1 mmoles per liter of solvent, or greater than or equal to 1.5 mmoles per liter of solvent. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., the solubility of the fused aromatic system is less than or equal to 2 mmoles per liter of solvent to greater than 0 mmoles per liter of solvent, and the solubility of the fused aromatic system is greater than or equal to 0.5 mmoles per liter of solvent to less than or equal to 1.5 mmoles per liter of solvent). Other ranges are possible.

[0040] According to some embodiments, the composition comprises a molecule of the following structure (and / or a plurality of molecules of the following structure):

[0041]

[0042] Wherein X is selected from O, S, Se or NR 1 , and each R 1 The same or different and selected from hydrogen (-H), optionally substituted alkyl (e.g., -CH3), optionally substituted alkenyl (e.g., -CH=CH2), or optionally substituted alkynyl (e.g., -C≡CH). In some embodiments, tautomers and / or isomers of the structures shown above are also possible.

[0043] In certain embodiments, for example, the composition comprises tetraamino-dihydrophenazine-1,4,6,9-tetraone, referred to herein as bis-tetraamino-benzoquinone (BTABQ). In certain embodiments, BTABQ has the following structure:

[0044]

[0045] In some embodiments, the composition comprises a plurality of BTABQ molecules.In some embodiments, tautomers and / or isomers of the BTABQ structure shown above are also possible.

[0046] According to certain embodiments, BTABQ can be synthesized from a tetraamino-p-benzoquinone (TABQ) molecule of the following structure:

[0047]

[0048] TABQ can be purchased commercially and / or synthesized using techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art. According to some embodiments, BTABQ can be formed from TABQ via a one-step Michael addition and elimination with the loss of ammonia.

[0049] According to certain embodiments, the composition comprises an oligomer and / or polymer of BTABQ (and / or a plurality of oligomers and / or polymers of BTABQ). The oligomer and / or polymer of BTABQ can take any of a variety of suitable forms. In some embodiments, for example, the oligomer and / or polymer of BTABQ has the following structure:

[0050]

[0051] wherein each dashed line independently represents a bond to another aromatic ring of the fused aromatic system or a terminal end of the fused aromatic system. In some embodiments wherein the dashed line represents a bond to another aromatic ring of the fused aromatic system, X may be N, R 1 X may be selected from hydrogen (—H), optionally substituted alkyl (e.g., —CH 3 ), optionally substituted alkenyl (e.g., —CH═CH 2 ), or optionally substituted alkynyl (e.g., —C≡CH ), and n may be 1. In certain embodiments where the dashed line represents the end of the fused aromatic system, X may be selected from O, S, Se, or NR 1 , R 1 can be selected from hydrogen (-H), optionally substituted alkyl (e.g., -CH3), optionally substituted alkenyl (e.g., -CH=CH2), or optionally substituted alkynyl (e.g., -C≡CH), and n can be 2. In some embodiments, tautomers and / or isomers of the structures shown above are also possible.

[0052] As would generally be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, in certain embodiments where the dashed line represents a bond to another aromatic ring of the fused aromatic system, the fused aromatic system may continue to extend beyond the aromatic ring formed by the bond represented by the dashed line via one or more fused aromatic rings.

[0053] In some embodiments, the oligomers and / or polymers of BTABQ have the following structure:

[0054]

[0055] When k is greater than 0, X k and Y k is N; when k is 0, X k For O and Y k NR 1 ; When l is greater than 0, Xl and Y l is N; when k is 0, X l For O and Y l NR 1 ; When m is greater than 0, X m and Y m is N; when m is 0, X m For O and Y m NR 1 ; When n is greater than 0, X n and Y n is N; when n is 0, X n For O and Y n NR 1 , and where R 1 is selected from hydrogen (-H), optionally substituted alkyl (eg, -CH3), optionally substituted alkenyl (eg, -CH=CH2), or optionally substituted alkynyl (eg, -C≡CH).

[0056] In some non-limiting embodiments, the oligomers and / or polymers of BTABQ have the following structure:

[0057]

[0058] Tautomers and / or other isomers of the structures shown above are also possible.

[0059] In some embodiments, the structures of oligomers and / or polymers of BTABQ can be determined based on elemental analysis, matrix-assisted laser desorption / ionization-time offlight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and / or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

[0060] According to certain embodiments, oligomers and / or polymers of BTABQ can be synthesized via polycondensation of BTABQ in the presence of heat with the loss of water. In some embodiments, the polycondensation reaction can be a ladderization reaction.

[0061] The above-mentioned active materials and related compositions can be used in any of a variety of suitable electrodes. For example, depending on the application, the active materials described herein can be used in a first electrode (e.g., a cathode) or a second electrode (e.g., an anode). In some embodiments, when used as an active material of a cathode, it has been observed that the use of active materials having the above-mentioned compositions performs particularly well.

[0062] In some embodiments, in addition to the active material, the electrode also includes one or more inactive materials. The electrode may include an inactive material that increases the conductivity of the electrode. For example, the electrode may include a conductive carbon material (e.g., graphite, graphene, or carbon nanotubes). As another example, the electrode may include a dielectric material, such as a dielectric polymer (e.g., polyvinylidene fluoride, carboxymethyl cellulose). Relative to the total mass of the electrode, the inactive material may be included in any one of various appropriate ratios. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the electrode is composed of only one or more active materials, without including an inactive material.

[0063] The electrode may contain the active material at any of a variety of suitable mass loadings. In some embodiments, the mass loading of the electrode is greater than or equal to 1 mg / cm 2 , greater than or equal to 2mg / cm 2 , greater than or equal to 3mg / cm 2 , greater than or equal to 5mg / cm 2 , greater than or equal to 8mg / cm 2 , greater than or equal to 10mg / cm 2 , greater than or equal to 12mg / cm 2 , greater than or equal to 15mg / cm 2 In some embodiments, the mass loading of the electrode is less than or equal to 20 mg / cm 2 , less than or equal to 18mg / cm 2 , less than or equal to 15mg / cm 2 , less than or equal to 12mg / cm 2 , less than or equal to 10mg / cm 2 , less than or equal to 8mg / cm 2 , less than or equal to 5mg / cm 2 , less than or equal to 3mg / cm 2 , less than or equal to 2mg / cm 2 , or less. Combinations of these ranges are possible. For example, in some embodiments, the mass loading of the electrode is greater than or equal to 1 mg / cm 2 And less than or equal to 20mg / cm 2 . Other ranges are also possible.

[0064] The first electrode described herein can be a cathode. The cathode can include various cathode active materials. As used herein, the term "cathode active material" refers to an active material associated with a cathode.

[0065] In some embodiments, the thickness of the cathode can be less than or equal to 2000 microns, less than or equal to 1500 microns, less than or equal to 1250 microns, less than or equal to 1000 microns, less than or equal to 750 microns, less than or equal to 500 microns, or less than or equal to 200 microns. In certain embodiments, the thickness of the cathode can be at least 1 micron, at least 5 microns, at least 10 microns, at least 25 microns, at least 50 microns, at least 100 microns, or at least 150 microns. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., 1 micron to 2000 microns). Other ranges are also possible.

[0066] The second electrode described herein can be an anode. The anode can include various anode active materials. As used herein, the term "anode active material" refers to an active material associated with an anode.

[0067] In some embodiments, the thickness of the anode can be less than or equal to 1500 microns, less than or equal to 1250 microns, less than or equal to 1000 microns, less than or equal to 750 microns, less than or equal to 500 microns, or less than or equal to 200 microns. In certain embodiments, the thickness of the anode can be at least 1 micron, at least 5 microns, at least 10 microns, at least 25 microns, at least 50 microns, at least 100 microns, or at least 150 microns. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., 1 micron to 1500 microns). Other ranges are also possible.

[0068] As described herein, in some embodiments, an electrochemical cell may include an electrolyte. For example, again referring to Figure 1 , the battery 101 includes an electrolyte 107 between the first electrode 103 and the second electrode 105. The electrolyte may be at least partially disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode of the battery and / or at least partially permeate one or more electrodes. As will be generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the electrolyte used in the electrochemical cell may serve as a medium for the storage and transmission of ions. In the special case of solid and / or gel electrolytes, these materials may additionally serve as a separator between the first electrode and the second electrode. Any of a variety of liquid, solid or gel materials capable of storing and transmitting ions may be used, as long as the material promotes the transmission of ions between the anode and the cathode. The electrolyte is generally non-electronically conductive to prevent a short circuit between the anode and the cathode. The electrolyte may include one or more liquid electrolyte solvents, gel polymer materials or polymer materials. The electrolyte may include one or more ionic electrolyte salts to provide and / or enhance ionic conductivity.

[0069] In some cases, the electrochemical cell comprises a liquid electrolyte. In particular, the present disclosure recognizes unexpected advantages associated with the use of a liquid electrolyte comprising an organic non-aqueous solvent system used in combination with the above-mentioned electrode active material. The non-aqueous electrolyte generally does not contain water, or only contains trace amounts of water. For example, in some embodiments, the non-aqueous electrolyte contains water in an amount of less than or equal to 5 wt %, less than or equal to 4 wt %, less than or equal to 3 wt %, less than or equal to 2 wt %, less than or equal to 1 wt %, less than or equal to 0.5 wt %, less than or equal to 0.2 wt %, less than or equal to 0.1 wt %, less than or equal to 0.05 wt %, less than or equal to 0.02 wt % or less than or equal to 0.01 wt %, relative to the gross weight of the electrolyte. Other ranges are also possible.

[0070] Suitable non-aqueous electrolytes may include organic solvents. These electrolytes may optionally include one or more ionic electrolyte salts (e.g., to provide and / or enhance ionic conductivity). Examples of useful non-aqueous organic liquid electrolyte solvents include, but are not limited to, acetonitrile, carbonates (e.g., propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC)), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), dimethoxyethane (DME), diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (diethylene glycol dimethyl ether) (diglyme) and / or tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME). Other non-aqueous organic liquid electrolyte solvents are possible, as the present disclosure is not intended to be limiting in this regard.

[0071] Any of a variety of suitable ions can be used in the battery. For example, in some embodiments, the battery is a lithium ion battery. In some embodiments, the battery is a sodium ion battery. In other embodiments, the battery can be a potassium ion battery, a magnesium ion battery, a zinc ion battery, a calcium ion battery, an aluminum ion battery, or an iron ion battery. Additionally or alternatively, the battery can rely on the transmission of any of a variety of other ions between the battery electrodes during charging and / or discharging. In some embodiments, the battery can also be a metal battery, such as a lithium metal battery, a sodium metal battery, a zinc metal battery, or a magnesium metal battery, and the battery can include a solid or liquid electrolyte formulation.

[0072] The electrolyte may include one or more ionic electrolyte salts generally known in the art to provide and / or enhance the ionic conductivity of the electrolyte. In some cases (e.g., in lithium ion batteries), the ionic electrolyte salt is a lithium salt (e.g., LiPF6). According to some embodiments (e.g., in sodium ion batteries), the ionic electrolyte salt is a sodium salt (e.g., NaCl, Na2HPO4, or Na2CO3). In some embodiments, the salt is a potassium salt or a magnesium salt. In some cases, the salt may be a chloride salt (e.g., NaCl), a hydrogen phosphate salt (Na2HPO4), a carbonate salt (Na2CO3), and / or citric acid. In some embodiments, the salt includes a metal cation (e.g., Li + 、Na + , K + and Mg 2+ ) and an organic anion (e.g., hexafluoroarsenate, hexafluorophosphate, perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate, tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate, trifluoromethanesulfonate, bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, cyclodifluoromethane-1,1-bis(sulfonyl)imide), bis(perfluoroethanesulfonyl)imide, bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, bis(perfluoroethanesulfonyl)imide, bis(oxalate)borate, difluoro(oxalate)borate, bis(fluoromalonate)borate, tetracyanoborate, dicyanotriazole, dicyano-trifluoromethyl-imidazole, dicyano-pentafluoroethyl-imidazole). Other ionic electrolyte salts are also possible, as the present disclosure is not intended to be limiting in this regard.

[0073] In some embodiments, the electrochemical cell includes a separator, which can be configured to inhibit (e.g., prevent) physical contact between the first electrode and the second electrode, that is, the separator can prevent a short circuit of the electrochemical cell. The separator generally comprises a polymer material. In some embodiments, the separator is located between the electrolyte and the electrode (e.g., the first electrode, the second electrode, the anode, the cathode). In other embodiments, the electrolyte penetrates the separator so that the separator contacts the electrode also contacted by the electrolyte. The separator can be configured to be substantially non-electronically conductive, which can inhibit the extent to which the separator causes a short circuit of the electrochemical cell. If necessary / as needed, based on battery materials and other factors, a person of ordinary skill will be able to easily select one or more separators suitable for an electrochemical cell (e.g., a battery) having a battery material disclosed herein.

[0074] The electrode (e.g., electrochemically active charge storage material) can have any of a variety of suitable charge capacities per gram of active material. In certain embodiments, for example, the charge capacity of the electrode is greater than or equal to 50 mAh, greater than or equal to 100 mAh, greater than or equal to 150 mAh, greater than or equal to 200 mAh, greater than or equal to 250 mAh, greater than or equal to 300 mAh, greater than or equal to 350 mAh, greater than or equal to 400 mAh, or greater than or equal to 450 mAh per gram of active material. In some embodiments, the charge capacity of the electrode is less than or equal to 500 mAh, less than or equal to 450 mAh, less than or equal to 400 mAh, less than or equal to 350 mAh, less than or equal to 300 mAh, less than or equal to 250 mAh, less than or equal to 200 mAh, less than or equal to 150 mAh, or less than or equal to 50 mAh per gram of active material. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (e.g., an electrode having a charge capacity of greater than or equal to 50 mAh to less than or equal to 450 mAh per gram of active material, an electrode having a charge capacity of greater than or equal to 150 mAh to less than or equal to 200 mAh per gram of active material). Other combinations are also possible.

[0075] The electrode (e.g., electrochemically active charge storage material) can have any of various suitable charge capacities per gram of electrode. In some embodiments, for example, the charge capacity of the electrode is greater than or equal to 30 mAh, greater than or equal to 50 mAh, greater than or equal to 100 mAh, greater than or equal to 150 mAh, greater than or equal to 200 mAh, greater than or equal to 250 mAh, or greater than or equal to 300 mAh per gram of electrode. In some embodiments, the charge capacity of the electrode is less than or equal to 350 mAh, less than or equal to 300 mAh, less than or equal to 250 mAh, less than or equal to 200 mAh, less than or equal to 150 mAh, less than or equal to 100 mAh, or less than or equal to 50 mAh per gram of electrode. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (e.g., the charge capacity of the electrode is greater than or equal to 30 mAh to less than or equal to 350 mAh per gram of electrode, and the charge capacity of the electrode is greater than or equal to 100 mAh to less than or equal to 150 mAh per gram of electrode). Other combinations are also possible.

[0076] According to certain embodiments, the above-mentioned charge capacity (i.e., the charge capacity per gram of active material and / or the charge capacity per gram of electrode) can be delivered at a relatively fast charge and / or discharge rate compared to conventional capacitor systems. The battery can be charged and / or discharged using steady-state conditions (e.g., by charging with a constant voltage or a constant current). Of course, the battery can be charged in multiple stages (e.g., a combination of a constant voltage stage and a constant current stage) or using non-steady-state conditions (e.g., charging using a voltage and current that vary over time), as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0077] In some embodiments, the charge capacity is delivered at a charge and / or discharge rate of less than or equal to 1 hour, less than or equal to 30 minutes, less than or equal to 15 minutes, less than or equal to 6 minutes, less than or equal to 60 seconds, less than or equal to 50 seconds, less than or equal to 40 seconds, less than or equal to 30 seconds, or less than or equal to 20 seconds. In certain embodiments, the charge capacity is delivered at a charge and / or discharge rate of greater than or equal to 10 seconds, greater than or equal to 20 seconds, greater than or equal to 30 seconds, greater than or equal to 40 seconds, or greater than or equal to 50 seconds. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., the charge capacity is delivered at a charge and / or discharge rate of less than or equal to 1 hour to greater than or equal to 10 seconds, and the charge capacity is delivered at a charge and / or discharge rate of greater than or equal to 30 seconds and less than or equal to 6 minutes). Other ranges are also possible. These ranges may also be combined with the ranges in the preceding paragraphs (e.g., in some embodiments, the electrode may be charged and / or discharged at a rate of greater than or equal to 135 mAh per gram of active material in less than or equal to 6 minutes, and / or the electrode may be charged and / or discharged at a rate of greater than or equal to 135 mAh per gram of active material in less than or equal to 1 hour). Other ranges are also possible. Any of the foregoing charge and / or discharge rates may be applicable during constant current or constant voltage charging or during charging and / or discharging at a voltage and current that varies over time, as the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0078] During constant current charging, any of the aforementioned charge / discharge rates may be expressed in units of "C" (units of total charge capacity per hour). The rate in units of "C" may be determined by multiplying the delivered charge capacity (as a proportion of the total battery capacity) by the inverse of the time (in hours) required to deliver that charge capacity. For example, delivering the full capacity of the battery (100% = 1) over the course of exactly 1 hour produces a charge capacity at a rate of 1 / 1 hour = 1C. As another example, delivering the full capacity of the battery (100% = 1) over the course of exactly 6 minutes produces a charge capacity at a rate of 1 / 0.1 hour = 10C.

[0079] According to some embodiments, it is advantageous for a battery to have a long cycle life. As used herein, cycle life refers to the number of charge-discharge cycles that a battery can undergo before its maximum capacity drops below a certain threshold. The threshold can be expressed as a percentage of the initial maximum capacity of the battery. For example, the cycle life of a battery can be the number of charge-discharge cycles that an electrochemical cell can undergo before its capacity drops below a threshold of 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, or 50% of its initial maximum capacity.

[0080] In some embodiments, for example, the cycle life of the battery is greater than or equal to 100 cycles, greater than or equal to 200 cycles, greater than or equal to 500 cycles, greater than or equal to 1,000 cycles, greater than or equal to 1,500 cycles, or greater than or equal to 2,000 cycles. In certain embodiments, the cycle life of the battery is less than or equal to 5,000 cycles, less than or equal to 4,000 cycles, less than or equal to 3,000 cycles, or less than or equal to 2,000 cycles. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (for example, the cycle life of the battery is greater than or equal to 100 cycles and less than or equal to 10,000 cycles, and the cycle life of the battery is greater than or equal to 500 cycles to less than or equal to 10,000 cycles). Other ranges are also possible. The above cycle life values ​​may be applicable to any of the various appropriate thresholds as described in the preceding paragraphs. For example, the above cycle life values ​​may refer to cycle life determined using an 80% threshold. Any of the foregoing cycle lives may be applicable during constant current or constant voltage charging or during charging and / or discharging at a voltage and current that varies over time, as the present disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0081] The cycle life of a battery can depend on the charge and / or discharge rate of the battery. One advantage of the electrodes described herein is that a long cycle life can be achieved even in batteries that undergo rapid charge and / or discharge. Therefore, the above cycle life ranges and thresholds can be appropriate even for batteries that are charged and / or discharged at rates within the above ranges. For example, even when the full charge capacity of the battery is charged and / or discharged in less than or equal to 6 minutes during the cycle, the battery can have a cycle life of greater than or equal to 100 cycles relative to an 80% threshold of the initial maximum capacity of the battery.

[0082] According to certain embodiments, the electrode (e.g., electrochemically active charge storage material) is at a temperature above Li + / Li standard reference electrode at a voltage relative to the voltage of the electrode. + / Li standard reference electrode at a voltage higher than 2.0V to deliver at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% of its charge capacity. In certain embodiments, the electrode is at a voltage higher than 2.0V relative to Li + / Li standard reference electrode at a voltage above 2.0 V, delivers less than 100%, less than or equal to 99%, less than or equal to 95%, less than or equal to 90%, or less than or equal to 85% of its charge capacity. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., electrodes at voltages above 2.0 V relative to Li + / Li standard reference electrode delivers at least 50% to less than 100% of its charge capacity at a voltage above 2.0V, and the electrode is + The electrode may have a charge capacity of at least 85% to less than 95% at a voltage above 2.0 V relative to a Li / Li standard reference electrode. Other ranges are also possible.

[0083] According to certain embodiments, the electrode (e.g., electrochemically active charge storage material) is at a temperature above Na + / Na standard reference electrode at a voltage relative to the voltage of the electrode. + / Na standard reference electrode at a voltage higher than 2.0V to deliver at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% of its charge capacity. In certain embodiments, the electrode is at a voltage higher than 2.0V relative to Na + / Na standard reference electrode at a voltage above 2.0 V delivers less than 100%, less than or equal to 99%, less than or equal to 95%, less than or equal to 90%, or less than or equal to 85% of its charge capacity. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (e.g., the electrode is less than or equal to 100%, less than or equal to 99%, less than or equal to 95%, less than or equal to 90%, or less than or equal to 85% of its charge capacity at a voltage above 2.0 V relative to Na + / Na standard reference electrode delivers at least 50% to less than 100% of its charge capacity at a voltage above 2.0 V. The electrode is + / Na standard reference electrode delivers at least 85% to less than 95% of its charge capacity at voltages above 2.0 V). Other ranges are also possible.

[0084] The electrodes can be measured relative to an appropriate standard reference electrode (e.g., Li + / Li standard reference electrode or Na + / Na standard reference electrode) at a high average voltage. For example, in some embodiments, the electrode is configured to deliver an average voltage greater than or equal to 1.8V, greater than or equal to 1.9V, greater than or equal to 2.0V, greater than or equal to 2.1V, or greater than or equal to 2.2V while delivering its charge capacity. In some embodiments, the electrode delivers an average voltage less than or equal to 3.0V, less than or equal to 2.9V, less than or equal to 2.8V, less than or equal to 2.7V, less than or equal to 2.6V, or less than or equal to 2.5V while delivering its charge capacity. Combinations of the above ranges are also possible (for example, the electrode delivers an average of greater than or equal to 1.8V and less than or equal to 3.0V while delivering its charge capacity). Other ranges are also possible.

[0085] Of course, a typical battery will also include current collectors, external circuitry, housing structures, etc. Those of ordinary skill in the art will fully recognize the many arrangements that can be utilized with the general schematic arrangements shown in the figures and described herein.

[0086] The following application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes: International Application No. PCT / US22 / 13925, filed on January 1, 2022, entitled “FUSEDAROMATIC MOLECULES AS ELECTRODE MATERIALS.”

[0087] The following examples are intended to illustrate certain embodiments of the present disclosure, but do not exemplify the full scope of the disclosure.

[0088] Example 1

[0089] This example describes the use of BTABQ in a non-limiting electrode for a lithium-ion battery comprising an organic non-aqueous solvent system (using a commercial solvent LP30 comprising 1:1 EC:EMC and LiPF6) and shows the excellent properties of the resulting battery.

[0090] The mass loading of 2 mg / cm 2 A first electrode composed of BTABQ and without conductive additives or polymer additives was used as the cathode in a first cell (Cell 1) having a lithium metal anode. Cell 1 was configured to deliver approximately 200 mAh / g of active material in the cathode relative to the mass of the BTABQ electrode. Figure 2 Presented are the voltages measured relative to a Li+ / Li standard reference electrode of a battery 1 comprising exactly one electrochemical cell, during charging and discharging at a rate of 0.4 C (such that the battery 1 is fully discharged after 2.5 hours).

[0091] A second cell (Cell 2) was prepared similarly to the first cell, except that the cathode consisted of BTABQ mixed with carbon black and PVDF in a mass ratio of 8:1:1. When tested in a cell similar to the above cells, Cell 2 delivered a discharge capacity of 251 mAh / g of active material in the cathode relative to the mass of the BTABQ electrode. Figure 3 The results of the battery 2 comprising exactly one electrochemical cell with respect to Li during charging and discharging at a rate of 0.3C (such that the battery 2 was fully discharged after 3.34 hours) are presented. + This indicates that, in some embodiments, the capacity of the BTABQ electrode can be improved by adding inactive materials such as carbon black and PVDF.

[0092] These examples show good performance of batteries comprising BTABQ as the active material of the electrode.

[0093] Example 2

[0094] This example describes the use of BTABQ in a non-limiting electrode of a sodium ion battery (Battery 3) comprising a non-aqueous solvent system.

[0095] In cell 3, the cathode was composed of BTABQ mixed with carbon black and PVDF in a mass ratio of 8:1:1, and the anode was composed of sodium. Cell 3 delivered a discharge capacity of 230 mAh / g of active material in the cathode. Figure 4 The results of the battery 3 comprising exactly one electrochemical cell with respect to Na during charging and discharging at a rate of 0.8 C (such that the battery 3 is fully discharged after 1.25 hours) are presented. + / The voltage measured by the Na standard reference electrode.

[0096] This example demonstrates that battery electrodes comprising BTABQ retain their usefulness in sodium-ion batteries and can deliver battery capacities similar to those of comparable cathodes in lithium-ion batteries.

[0097] Example 3

[0098] This example shows the good performance of a non-limiting BTABQ anode in a cell containing a commercially available battery electrolyte. In this example, cells with lithiated graphite and a BTABQ cathode were prepared using different non-limiting organic electrolyte solvents, LP30, LP40, and LP50. LP30, LP40, and LP50 are commercially available electrolytes containing various mixtures of ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), and / or ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) and LiPF6. (LP30 contains 1:1 EC:DMC, LP40 contains 1:3 PC:DMC, and LP50 contains 1:1 EC:EMC.) FIG. 5A to FIG. 5B The results show that the battery's relative Li + / Li standard reference electrode voltage. The battery was charged at two different rates: 0.5C ( Figure 5A ) and 4C( Figure 5B ) charge and discharge. As shown, the battery is able to deliver high capacity at both charge rates, demonstrating the utility of the cathode for fast charging of the battery.

[0099] Example 4

[0100] This example compares a lithium-ion battery (Battery 4) having a BTABQ cathode to a similar battery (Reference Battery 1) prepared using a conventional LiFePO4 cathode. Battery 4 and Reference Battery 1 include a lithium anode, and both batteries are single-cell batteries containing the same organic non-aqueous solvent system. Each battery is charged and discharged at a variety of charge rates to determine its capacity at each charge rate. Figure 6 The specific capacity (battery charge / discharge capacity per gram of cathode) of each battery as a function of charge rate is presented. As shown, at each charge rate, battery 4 (at Figure 6 ) has a higher Figure 6 Reference cell 1 delivers a higher specific capacity than cell 4 relative to Li + / Li reference electrode voltage. Therefore, Figure 7 The energy density of the battery at various power densities is presented. At each power density, the battery 4 (at Figure 7 The energy density of the battery (labeled as "BTABQ") exceeds that of the reference battery 1 (in Figure 7 The difference between the energy density of cell 4 and that of reference cell 1 is significant at high power densities (over 2×10 3W / kg), where the energy density of reference cell 1 drops sharply, while the energy density of cell 4 drops much more slowly in comparison.

[0101] These results suggest that batteries including BTABQ cathodes can outperform conventional batteries, especially during fast charging of the battery.

[0102] Example 5

[0103] This example compares the discharge of an unrestricted lithium ion cell comprising an electrode comprising 95% BTABQ, 2.5% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and 2.5% conductive carbon additive. Cell 5 and cells using conventional high performance cathode active materials LiFePO4 (LFP, used in Reference Cell 2) and LiNi 1 / 3 Co 1 / 3 Mn 1 / 3 Similar reference cells were prepared using NCM111 (NCM111, used in reference cell 3). Each reference cell contained cathode active material in the cathode at a ratio of 80% (typical concentration), and contained 10% PVDF binder and 10% conductive additive. Figure 8 The energy density of the battery during the discharge of the battery under constant current discharge conditions is presented. As shown, the battery 5 (at Figure 8 ) has a higher discharge performance than the reference battery 2 (in Figure 8 ) and reference cell 3 (in Figure 8 The NCM111 has a higher energy density.

[0104] Fig. 9 presents the specific capacity of battery 5 during initial discharge as a function of discharge time, and Fig.10 The specific capacity of Battery 5 is presented as a function of the number of charge-discharge cycles to which Battery 5 was subjected (Battery 5 was fully charged and discharged at a rate of 4C, equivalent to a total charge and discharge in 15 minutes). Cycling was stopped when the battery reached 80% of its cycle life, which occurred at about 500 cycles.

[0105] This example demonstrates that electrodes comprising BTABQ can outperform prior art metal-based electrodes and maintain long cycle life even when subjected to rapid charge-discharge cycles.

[0106] Although several embodiments of the present disclosure have been described and illustrated herein, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various other means and / or structures for performing the functions described herein and / or obtaining the results and / or one or more advantages described herein will be contemplated, and each such variation and / or modification is considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. More generally, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that all parameters, dimensions, materials, and configurations described herein are intended to be exemplary, and that actual parameters, dimensions, materials, and / or configurations will depend on one or more specific applications for which the teachings of the present disclosure are used. Those skilled in the art will recognize or be able to determine many equivalents of the specific embodiments of the disclosure described herein using only routine experiments. Therefore, it should be understood that the foregoing embodiments are presented only by way of example, and within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents, the present disclosure may be practiced in a manner other than that specifically described and claimed. The present disclosure relates to each individual feature, system, article, material, and / or method described herein. In addition, if two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent, any combination of such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods is included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0107] Unless explicitly stated to the contrary, as used herein in the specification and claims, unmodified nouns should be understood to mean "at least one".

[0108] As used herein in the specification and claims, the phrase "and / or" should be understood to mean "either or both" of the elements so combined, i.e., elements that are present in combination in some cases and separately in other cases. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, in addition to the elements specifically identified by the "and / or" clause, other elements may optionally be present, whether related or unrelated to those specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, when used in conjunction with open language such as "comprising," a reference to "A and / or B" may refer to A without B (optionally including elements other than B) in one embodiment; to B without A (optionally including elements other than A) in another embodiment; to both A and B (optionally including other elements) in yet another embodiment; and so on.

[0109] As used herein in the specification and claims, "or" shall be understood to have the same meaning as "and / or" as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, "or" or "and / or" shall be understood to be inclusive, i.e., including at least one of a plurality of elements or a list of elements, but also including more than one, and optionally including additional unlisted items. Only when the opposite term is clearly indicated, such as "only one of..." or "exactly one of...", or when used in a claim, "consisting of...", will refer to including exactly one element of a plurality of elements or a list of elements. Generally, when preceded by an exclusive term (e.g., "any one", "one of...", "only one of..." or "exactly one of..."), the term "or" as used herein shall only be understood to represent an exclusive alternative (i.e., "one or the other, but not both"). "Substantially consisting of..." when used in a claim shall have its ordinary meaning used in the field of patent law.

[0110] As used herein in the specification and claims, the phrase "at least one" when referring to a list of one or more elements should be understood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more elements in the list of elements, but does not necessarily include at least one of the individual elements and each element specifically listed in the list of elements, and does not exclude any combination of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows that elements other than the elements specifically indicated in the list of elements mentioned by the phrase "at least one" may optionally be present, whether related to or unrelated to those elements specifically indicated. Thus, as a non-limiting example, "at least one of A and B" (or equivalently, "at least one of A or B", or equivalently, "at least one of A and / or B") may refer to at least one A, optionally including more than one A, without B (and optionally including elements other than B) in one embodiment; in another embodiment, may refer to at least one B, optionally including more than one B, without A (and optionally including elements other than A); in yet another embodiment, may refer to at least one A, optionally including more than one A, and at least one B, optionally including more than one B (and optionally including other elements); and so on.

[0111] As used herein, "wt%" is an abbreviation for weight percent. As used herein, "atom%" is an abbreviation for atomic percent.

[0112] Some embodiments may be embodied as methods in which various examples have been described. The actions performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable manner. Thus, embodiments may be constructed in which the actions are performed in a different order than shown, may include actions that are different (e.g., more or less) than those described, and / or may involve performing some actions simultaneously, even though the actions are shown as being performed sequentially in the embodiments specifically described above.

[0113] The use of ordinal terms such as "first", "second", "third", etc. in the claims to modify claim elements does not itself mean any priority, precedence or order of one claim element relative to another claim element or the temporal order of the actions of performing the method, but is merely used as a mark to distinguish one claim element with a certain name from another element with the same name (but using ordinal terms), thereby distinguishing the claim elements.

[0114] In the claims and the foregoing specification, all transitional phrases such as "comprising," "including," "carrying," "having," "containing," "involving," "having," etc. shall be understood as open-ended, i.e., meaning including but not limited to. As set forth in Section 2111.03 of the U.S. Patent Office Manual of Patent Examining Procedures, only the transitional phrases "consisting of" and "consisting essentially of" shall be closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively.

Claims

1. A battery comprising: An electrode comprising an active material comprising a bis-tetraamino-benzoquinone molecule and / or a dimer, tautomer, oligomer or polymer thereof of the following structure: as well as An electrolyte comprising an organic non-aqueous solvent system.

2. A battery comprising: An electrode comprising an organic active material, wherein the battery is configured such that when fully discharged, the battery can be charged in less than or equal to 6 minutes to a capacity greater than or equal to 135 mAh per gram of the electrode.

3. A battery comprising: an electrode comprising an active material; wherein the active material comprises at most trace amounts of Ni and Co; as well as Wherein the battery is configured such that when fully discharged, the battery can be charged to a capacity greater than or equal to 135 mAh per gram of the electrode in less than or equal to 6 minutes.

4. The battery according to any one of claims 2 to 3, wherein the active material comprises a bis-tetraamino-benzoquinone molecule and / or its tautomers, oligomers and / or polymers of the following structure:

5. A battery according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the active material is a bis-tetraamino-benzoquinone molecule having the following structure:

6. A battery according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bis-tetraamino-benzoquinone is an oligomer having the following structure: When k is greater than 0, X k and Y k is N; when k is 0, X k For O and Y k NR 1 ; When l is greater than 0, X l and Y l is N; when k is 0, X l For O and Y l NR 1 ; When m is greater than 0, X m and Y m is N; When m is 0, X m For O and Y m NR 1 ; When n is greater than 0, X n and Y n is N; when n is 0, X n For O and Y n NR 1 , and where R 1 is selected from hydrogen (—H), optionally substituted alkyl (e.g., —CH 3 ), optionally substituted alkenyl (e.g., —CH═CH 2 ), or optionally substituted alkynyl (e.g., —C≡CH ), and The sum of k, l, m and n is less than or equal to 8.

7. The battery of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery has an 80% capacity cycle life of greater than or equal to 100 cycles when cycled at a charge rate greater than or equal to 10C.

8. The battery of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery has an 80% capacity cycle life of greater than or equal to 500 cycles when cycled at a charge rate greater than or equal to 10C.

9. A battery according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrode is a cathode.

10. The battery according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrode is a first electrode, and wherein the battery further comprises a second electrode.

11. The battery of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery is configured such that when fully discharged, the battery can be charged to a capacity greater than or equal to 135 mAh per gram of the electrode in less than or equal to 6 minutes.

12. The battery of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery is configured such that when fully discharged, the battery can be charged to a capacity greater than or equal to 150 mAh per gram of the electrode in less than or equal to 6 minutes.

13. The battery of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery is configured such that when fully discharged, the battery can be charged to a capacity greater than or equal to 235 mAh per gram of the electrode in less than or equal to 1 hour.

14. The battery of any preceding claim, wherein the battery comprises an electrolyte comprising an organic non-aqueous solvent system.

15. The battery of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the organic non-aqueous solvent system comprises water in an amount less than or equal to 5 wt%.

16. The battery according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the organic non-aqueous solvent system comprises no water, or only trace amounts of water.

17. The battery according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the battery is a lithium ion battery.

18. The battery of any preceding claim, wherein the battery is a sodium ion battery.

19. The battery according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the organic non-aqueous solvent system comprises propylene carbonate (PC), ethylene carbonate (EC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), dimethoxyethane (DME), diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (DIGLYME) and / or tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME).

20. A battery according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the organic non-aqueous solvent system comprises a salt comprising: Li + 、Na + , K + or Mg 2+ and hexafluoroarsenate, hexafluorophosphate, perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate, tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate, trifluoromethanesulfonate, bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide, cyclodifluoromethane-1,1-bis(sulfonyl)imide, bis(perfluoroethanesulfonyl)imide, bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, bis(perfluoroethanesulfonyl)imide, bis(oxalate)borate, difluoro(oxalate)borate, bis(fluoromalonate)borate, tetracyanoborate, dicyanotriazole, dicyano-trifluoromethyl-imidazole, or dicyano-pentafluoroethyl-imidazole.

21. The battery according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the average discharge voltage of the battery is greater than or equal to 2.3V.

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