Charge Transport Phenomena in Fe-Based High Surface Area Materials

Abstract

While conductive metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and open-framework metal chalcogenides (OFMCs) have received considerable attention in recent years, there are still fundamental questions that remain unanswered. With literature abound describing ion and solvent-dependent conductivity in mesoporous media and nonporous conductive polymers we expect such phenomena to be heightened and unique at the interfacial extremes that microporous materials and 2D Van Der Waals (vdw) materials possess. We utilize the unique properties of Fe-based materials to design model systems in TMA2FeGe4S10 (TMA: tetramethyl ammonium) and Fe(SCN)2(pyz)2 to explore the impact of solvent and electrochemically inert ions on charge transfer and transport. Taken together, this dissertation describes for the first time, critical solvent and ion interactions at interfacial extremes, which must be considered in the design of advanced energy storage technologies where solvent and ion presence is ubiquitous. These advanced energy storage technologies will prove critical in supporting renewable energy generation, to reduce and eventually eliminate CO2 emission.