"Electron-Donating Phenothiazines for Energy Storage Applications"

Prof. Susan A. Odom

Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky

Phenothiazine derivatives have seen widespread use as stable electron-donating organic compounds with generally stable oxidized states, which makes them an attractive core for functionalization for use in electrochemical energy storage applications. With phenothiazine itself as a starting material, functionalization of the 3, 7, and 10 positions is facile, providing options to modify redox potentials and improve stability in both the neutral and singly oxidized (radical cation) states. Additionally, this ring system can be built from aryl amines and aryl bromides, allowing for the production of compounds with even more functionalization, including incorporating groups at the 1 and 9 positions and – in some cases – at every sp₂-hybridized C atom in the aromatic core. In many cases, computational studies have predicted what we have observed experimentally, and often guides our design of next-generation materials. This presentation focuses on the characterization of phenothiazine derivatives, both from experimental and computational approaches, and includes results from their incorporation into lithium-ion batteries as electrolyte additives for overcharge protection as well as studies toward using them in non-aqueous redox flow batteries as catholytes. 

This seminar is part of the 2015-16 Energy Storage Seminar Series at UK supported by NSF EPSCoR under Award No. 1355438.