Redox-active radical polymers for a totally organic rechargeable battery

"Radical polymers" bearing a high density of unpaired electrons in a pendant, non-conjugated fashion on each repeating unit were utilized as cathode- and anode-active materials in a totally organic-based rechargeable battery. Careful molecular design of radical polymers such as nitroxide and galvinoxyl derivatives produced remarkably stable p- and n-type redox couples, which provided three different battery configurations. The power-rate performance of these cells was excellent (360 C rate, 10 sec charge/discharge), as a result of the rapid redox process of the organic radical moieties in the amorphous polymer layer. Organic polymer-based electrodes also allowed their utilization to a flexible, paper-like, and transparent rechargeable energy-storage device.