Gaining a fundamental understanding of charge transfer dynamics within complex fluids, such as colloidal dispersions, is crucial to identifying and optimizing battery technologies. There is a continuously increasing demand for the development of grid-scale charge storage devices which accommodate the intermittent output of renewable power sources, such as wind and solar. Redox-flow batteries (RFBs) have proven to have tremendous potential in energy storage due to their scalability, extended cycle lifetimes, design flexibility, and rapid charging. Viologen-based, redox-active crosslinked polymeric colloids (RACs) have emerged as potential charge storage materials within RFBs. RACs deliver excellent reversible electroactivity due to the rapid exchange of electrons between neighboring viologen pendant groups. Viologen RACs are an ideal model system to investigate electron transport events as they exhibit redox fluorescence switching. However, the charge transport kinetics of dynamic RAC systems have yet to be completely understood. Experimental complexity arises from the nonspecific adsorption of RACs onto electrode surfaces. Here, the synthesis of a novel viologen-based redox-active polymer brush via surface-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization is demonstrated. This brush prevents adsorption of RACs while maintaining electronic conductance to enable the direct visualization and quantification of RAC electron transfer kinetics via in-situ fluorescence microscopy.

Synthesis of redox-active polymer brush to investigate electron transport between colloids

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

[Author Benefits](https://scimeetings.acs.org/?utm_source=pubs_content_marketing&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=0320_MCF_NPI_Launch_Spring_Homepage&ref=pubs_content_marketing)

[How to use SciMeetings](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMeetings-ACSSpring2020-HowToGuide_M3020-Final.pdf)

[Frequently Asked Questions](https://storage.googleapis.com/dl.morressier.com/acs/SciMtng_ACSNMSp2020_FAQ_M3120_Final.pdf)

ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.