Li-ion batteries are slowly reaching their theoretical capacity. Researchers are
therefore researching new types of batteries. For this reason research into
organic cathode materials is gaining popularity in recent years because of their
versatility and availability. Attractive group of organic materials are quinones. In
organic solvents they are usually reduced in two one-electron steps or in one twoelectron step to dianion. Among this group is a molecule anthraquinone (AQ). In this thesis we have been researching the mechanism of reduction of anthraquinone in two different systems, in a beaker cell system and in a battery system. We have built a glovebox system for studying electrochemistry. In the beaker cell we have made several experiments with six different salts (LiTFSI, NaTFSI, KTFSI, TBATFSI, Mg(TFSI)2, Ca(TFSI)2). We have been researching the influence of a cation on the mechanism of the reaction. The results have shown that a cation has a great influence on a reaction, especially on the stabilization of
anion radical. For the monovalent cations, TBA+ cation gave us best results.
Reactions with divalent cations was highly irreversible. Next we studied
electrochemistry in a battery system, in a 2-electrode and 3-electrode system.
We researched Li+, Na+ in K+ cations. From the results of the battery system, we
can conclude that cathode is the sole reason for visible plateaus. When comparing results from a battery system and a beaker cell system, we discovered that cation does not influence the first peak/plateau, but the second one. Results have shown that electrochemistry of AQ has potential for further studies.
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