Quaternary nitrogen redox centers for battery materials

Rechargeable batteries using redox-active organics as the electrode material have been proposed to be a promising alternative to lessen the reliance on unrenewable resources and to broaden the chemistry of current battery technology. However, organic materials, particularly for the battery cathode, are encountered with unsatisfactory stability and relatively low redox potential compared with the inorganic counterparts. This review introduces some recent advances of redox-active organics based on quaternary nitrogen redox centers with a focus on molecular design. The challenges and possible solutions are also introduced from the perspective of cell chemistry.