Monthly Archives: August 2019

Tara Vogel

Tara is returning after a successful summer at OESL and Jolt Energy to the University of Chicago to finish up her Physics degree. We are very happy Tara was flexible enough to agree to work for Jolt Energy and collaborate with the OESLab during her summer here. She was greatly instrumental in setting up and controlling the latest prototype flow battery.

Due to scheduling and disclosure issues, she was not able to present a poster this summer, but she did participate in the Schaap Symposium with us and we really enjoyed her time with us.

Zach Lincoln

Zach joined us for the summer after graduating from Alma College. He is studying for his PhD in Inorganic Chemistry at Notre Dame University this fall.

Stability and Decomposition Pathways of Potential Redox Shuttles and Non-aqueous Catholytes

Zachary S. Lincoln, Adina Dumitrascu, Jason G. Gillmore, Thomas F. Guarr

The Organic Energy Storage Laboratory has prepared a variety of carbazole and phenothiazine derivatives as potential catholytes for non-aqueous redox flow batteries and as redox shuttles for lithium ion batteries. Their stabilities, beyond reversible voltammograms, has not been assessed; nor have their potential decomposition pathways. Using Ion-Trap Mass Spectrometry (ITMS), the decomposition of these compounds can be investigated. Additionally, deuterium-labelled analogs were prepared and characterized by GC-MS, 1H and 13C NMR, and ITMS to confirm the decomposition pathways observed in protio derivatives.

It was a great summer, Zach. Thanks for spending it with us and best wishes for your experience at Notre Dame.

Isabelle Zelaya

Isabelle Zelaya joined us this summer from the University of Michigan. She is starting her senior undergraduate year this fall studying Chemistry. Izzy’s curiosity was a pleasure to have in the lab.

Synthesis and UV/Vis Analysis of Linked Donor-Acceptor Compounds

Isabele Zelaya, Dr. Thomas F. Guarr

Our group has prepared a variety of molecules containing electron donors covalently linked to electron acceptors (DA compounds) for redox flow battery applications. Beyond their use in energy storage, these DA compounds were expected to have interesting spectroscopic properties. It was expected that photoinduced electron transfer from the donor to the acceptor would produce spectroscopic peaks not present in the isolated donor and acceptor compounds. By comparing the UV-Vis spectra of the individual donors and acceptors to the DA compounds, it is theoretically possible to subtract out the signature of the donor and acceptor, leaving only this charge transfer band. Such bands have proven elusive in molecules with flexible, saturated linkers, which have been the most widely investigated type. The synthesis and study of some systems with more rigid, conjugated linkers will also be presented. Systems with longer flexible saturated linkers, which may allow pi-pi interaction between donor and acceptor groups, are also proposed.