Poly(phenanthrene quinone)/graphene cathode material and investigation of its redox mechanism through operando ATR-IR spectroscopy in Li- and Mg- batteries.

The redox reaction mechanism of a poly(phenanthrene quinone)/graphene composite (PFQ/rGO) was investigated using operando attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy during cycling of Li and Mg batteries. The reference phenanthrene quinone and the Li and Mg salts of the hydroquinone monomers were synthesized and their IR spectra were measured. Additionally, IR spectra were calculated using DFT. A comparison of all three spectra allowed us to accurately assign the C=O and C-O- vibration bands and confirm the redox mechanism of the quinone/Li salt of hydroquinone, with radical anion formation as the intermediate product. PFQ/rGO also showed exceptional performance in an Mg battery: A potential of 1.8 V versus Mg/Mg2+, maximum capacity of 186 mAh g(-1) (335 Wh kg(-1) of cathode material), and high capacity retention with only 8 % drop/100 cycles. Operando ATR-IR spectroscopy was performed in a Mg/organic system, revealing an analogous redox mechanism to a Li/organic cell.