In the past decade, ionic liquids (ILs) have been investigated as electrolytes for energy conversion applications such as capacitors
, and solar cells.
While significant progress has been made towards utilizing these remarkably adaptable materials for specific applications, much work remains to generate technologically and economically relevant devices and processes. Fundamental characterizations of IL-based electrolyte/electrode systems are crucial to continued development for these enterprises.
In specific, detailed descriptions and understanding of electrolyte/electrode interfaces are prerequisites to engineered progress because adsorbed species and their associated interfacial dynamics play critical roles in determining device efficiencies.
Our initial studies focus on spectroscopic techniques such as surface enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) spectroscopy to characterize interfacial structure and dynamics between ionic liquid media and electrode surfaces during electrochemical perturbation. More specifically, we will discuss characterizations of ILs composed of imidazolium-based cations with alkylsulfate, tetrafluoroborate, thiocyanate, dicyanamide, and bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions at noble metal electrodes (i.e, Au).
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