Glyoxal-Based Solvents for Electrochemical Energy-Storage Devices

In this work an investigation about the use of the solvents 1,1,2,2-tetramethoxyethane, also called tetramethoxy glyoxal (TMG), and 1,1,2,2-tetraethoxyethane [also called tetraethoxy glyoxal (TEG)], which belong to the chemical family of carbonyl derivatives, as electrolyte components for electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is reported for the first time. TEG and TMG are commercial solvents displaying a good set of properties, a low toxicity, and a low price. Although for EDLCs the use of these solvents does appear particularly appealing, their use in LIBs is certainly interesting. The preliminary results reported in this study indicate that the performance of lithium iron phosphate electrodes in LIBs using electrolytes based on TEG and TMG is promising in terms of capacity, capacity retention at high C rates, and cycling stability.