Carbon surfaces for organic battery application: structural properties of the hydrogel/electrolyte/electrode interface

• Grant number: 19/21089-6
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2020
• Status: Discontinued
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal researcher: Frank Nelson Crespilho
• Grantee: Luana Cristina Italiano Faria
• Home Institution: Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 21/14537-2 - Low-cost and high-performance carbon electrodes for application in redox flow battery, BE.EP.DD

Abstract

In cellular respiration there are two moving components that are part of the electron transport chain: ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10) that connects Complex I to II and III, and cytochrome C that connects Complex III to IV. These components are in a viscous medium (inner mitochondrial membrane) with controlled pH and show E1/2 H -400 mV (Ag/AgCl, pH H 7.0) and E1/2 H 200 mV (Ag/AgCl, pH H 7.0), respectively. In this doctoral research project, we propose to mimic the cellular respiration in a battery, using reversible redox molecules in stable hydrogels and a system/hydrogel separator. As the electrochemical reversibility depends on electrode surface, it is proposed to develop different carbon surfaces sensible to the redox molecules, using flexible carbon fibers modified with carbon nanostructures with high surface area. These electrodes will be evaluated in naturals and synthetic hydrogels, aiming application in organic and organometallic biomimetic batteries. With this research project mimicking part of the complex respiratory chain, we glimpse to obtain a battery with mild and biocompatible electrolytes that may be applied as implantable battery and in bioelectronic devices. (AU)