Magnetometric Characterization of Intermediates in the Solid-State Electrochemistry of Redox-Active Metal-Organic Frameworks

Summary

Ex situ magnetic surveys can directly provide bulk and local information on a magnetic electrode to reveal its charge storage mechanism step by step. Herein, electron spin resonance (ESR) and magnetic susceptibility are demonstrated to monitor the evaluation of paramagnetic species and their concentration in a redox-active metal-organic framework (MOF).

Abstract

Electrochemical energy storage has been a widely discussed application of redox-active metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in the past 5 years. Although MOFs show outstanding performance in terms of gravimetric or areal capacitance and cyclic stability, unfortunately their electrochemical mechanisms are not well understood in most cases. Traditional spectroscopic techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS), have only provided vague and qualitative information about valence changes of certain elements, and the mechanisms proposed based on such information are often highly disputable. In this article, we report a series of standardized methods, including the fabrication of solid-state electrochemical cells, electrochemistry measurements, the disassembly of cells, the collection of MOF electrochemical intermediates, and physical measurements of the intermediates under the protection of inert gases. By using these methods for quantitatively clarifying the electronic and spin state evolution within a single electrochemical step of redox-active MOFs, one can provide clear insight into the nature of electrochemical energy storage mechanisms not only for MOFs, but also for all other materials with strongly correlated electronic structures.

Introduction

Since the term metal-organic framework (MOF) was introduced in the late 1990s, and especially in the 2010s, the most representative scientific concepts concerning MOFs have arisen from their structural porosity, including guest encapsulation, separation, catalytic properties, and molecule sensing^1,2,3,4. Meanwhile, scientists were quick to realize that it is essential for MOFs to possess stimuli-responsive electronic properties in order to integrate them into modern smart devices. This idea triggered the spawning and flourishing of the condu....

Protocol

1. Electrode fabrication

1. Synthesizing Cu-THQ MOF
   NOTE: Cu-THQ MOF polycrystalline powder was synthesized via a hydrothermal method following previously published procedures^14,20,23.
   1. Put 60 mg of tetrahydroxyquinone into a 20 mL ampule, then add 10 mL of degassed water. In a separate glass vial, dissolve 110 mg of copper (II) nitrate trihydrate in another 10 mL of degassed water. Add 46 µL of the competing ligand ethylenediamine using a pipette.
      NOTE: To degas the deionized water, flow nitrogen gas for 30 min before ....

Results

Our previous work included a detailed discussion of ex situ ESR spectroscopy and ex situ magnetic susceptibility measurements for electrochemically cycled CuTHQ²⁰. Here, we present the most representative and detailed results that can be obtained following the protocol described in this paper.

Discussion

To produce cathodes, it is necessary to mix the active material with conductive carbon to achieve a low polarization during the electrochemical process. The carbon additive is the first critical point for ex situ magnetometry; if the carbon has radical defects, the emergence of the electrochemically induced organic radical cannot be observed in the ESR spectrum. This makes it difficult to precisely determine the spin concentration or organic radical concentration, since these two types of radicals have similar g.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone	FUJIFILM Wako Chemicals	139-17611	Super Dehydrated
1mol/L LiBF4 EC:DEC (1:1 v/v%)	Kishida	LBG-96533	electrolyte
4-Hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl	FUJIFILM Wako Chemicals	089-04191	TEMPOL, for Spin Labeling
Ampule tube	Maruemu Corporation	5-124-05	20mL
Carbon black, Super P Conductive	Alfa Aesar	H30253
Conductive Carbon Black	Mitsubishi Chemical
Copper (II) Nitrate Trihydrate	FUJIFILM Wako Chemicals	033-12502	deleterious substances
Dimethyl Carbonate	FUJIFILM Wako Chemicals	046-31935	battery grade
Ethylenediamine	FUJIFILM Wako Chemicals	053-00936	deleterious substances
Graphene Nanoplatelets	Tokyo Chemical Industry	G0442	6-8nm(thick), 15µm(wide)
Poly(vinylidene fluoride)	Sigma Aldrich	182702
Potassium Bromide	FUJIFILM Wako Chemicals	165-17111	for Infrared Spectrophotometry
Sodium Alginate	FUJIFILM Wako Chemicals	199-09961	500-600 cP
SQUID Magnetometer	Quantum Design	MPMS-XL 5
Tetrahydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone Hydrate	Tokyo Chemical Industry	T1090
X-Band ESR	JEOL	JES-F A200