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Title: A Non-aqueous H3PO4 Electrolyte Enables Stable Cycling of Proton Electrodes
A non-aqueous proton electrolyte is devised by dissolving H3PO4 into acetonitrile. The electrolyte exhibits unique vibrational signatures from stimulated Raman spectroscopy. Such an electrolyte exhibits unique characteristics compared to aqueous acidic electrolytes: 1) higher (de)protonation potential for a lower desolvation energy of protons, 2) better cycling stability by dissolution suppression, and 3) higher Coulombic efficiency owing to the lack of oxygen evolution reaction. Two non-aqueous proton full cells exhibit better cycling stability, higher Coulombic efficiency, and less self-discharge compared to the aqueous counterpart.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2004636
NSF-PAR ID:
10231318
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Angewandte Chemie
Volume:
132
Issue:
49
ISSN:
0170-9054
Page Range / eLocation ID:
22191-22195
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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    A non‐aqueous proton electrolyte is devised by dissolving H3PO4into acetonitrile. The electrolyte exhibits unique vibrational signatures from stimulated Raman spectroscopy. Such an electrolyte exhibits unique characteristics compared to aqueous acidic electrolytes: 1) higher (de)protonation potential for a lower desolvation energy of protons, 2) better cycling stability by dissolution suppression, and 3) higher Coulombic efficiency owing to the lack of oxygen evolution reaction. Two non‐aqueous proton full cells exhibit better cycling stability, higher Coulombic efficiency, and less self‐discharge compared to the aqueous counterpart.

     
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    A non‐aqueous proton electrolyte is devised by dissolving H3PO4into acetonitrile. The electrolyte exhibits unique vibrational signatures from stimulated Raman spectroscopy. Such an electrolyte exhibits unique characteristics compared to aqueous acidic electrolytes: 1) higher (de)protonation potential for a lower desolvation energy of protons, 2) better cycling stability by dissolution suppression, and 3) higher Coulombic efficiency owing to the lack of oxygen evolution reaction. Two non‐aqueous proton full cells exhibit better cycling stability, higher Coulombic efficiency, and less self‐discharge compared to the aqueous counterpart.

     
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    Acknowledgment

    This work was partially supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Award No. ECCS-1931088. S.L. and H.W.S. acknowledge the support from the Improvement of Measurement Standards and Technology for Mechanical Metrology (Grant No. 22011044) by KRISS.

    Figure 1

     

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