Stable Quinone Derivative for All-Organic Flow Battery

The patent modifies the chemical structure of quinone molecules by introducing specific substituents (electron-donating groups like alkyl or aryl groups at positions 2 and 5, and sulfonate groups at positions 1 and 3) to change the electronic and steric parameters of the molecule. These parameter changes raise the redox potential above +0.35 V vs. SHE and prevent degradation reactions, thereby simultaneously improving energy storage performance and molecular stability.

The patent creates composite molecular structures combining electron-donating groups (alkyl or aryl) with sulfonate groups on the quinone core. This composite structure achieves both high solubility in aqueous electrolytes and high electrochemical activity (redox potential > +0.35 V vs. SHE) while the specific arrangement of these groups prevents degradation reactions, thereby improving both productivity and duration of action.

The patent replaces expensive and environmentally problematic metal-based electrolytes with organic quinone molecules that can be synthesized from abundant, renewable carbon resources. The designed quinone structures (with molecular formulas such as C14H14O8S2 for the oxidized form) provide sufficient energy storage capacity while being inexpensive to manufacture and environmentally sustainable, effectively replacing metal-based systems with cheaper organic alternatives.