Synthesis of radical polymers and their application to an organic radical battery

Based on the redox couples of a nitroxide radical, organic radical polymers have been utilized as the electrode-active or charge-storage component for a secondary battery, so-called "organic radical battery". Organic radical battery has several advantages: high capacity, high power-rate performance, long cycle ability, and environmentally-benign features. We report here the synthesis of a series of radical polymers and their redox properties. TEMPO-substituted polyether displayed its improved compatibility with the electrolyte solution. Photo-crosslinking of TEMPO-substituted polynorbornene was investigated as a facile and useful method leading to a slim and flexible battery. Poly (galvinoxystyrene) displayed a stable n-type redox behavior at 3.2 V vs. Li/Li⁺, which also holds considerable potential as an anode-active material, leading to purely organic-derived batteries. The cell performance will be also reported.