Organogel electrolytes based on a low molecular weight gelator: 2,3-bis(n-decyloxy) anthracene

Since 2,3-bis(n-decyloxy)anthracene (DDOA) is a good gelling agent for a la rge number of solvents including propylene carbonate (PC), the electrochemi cal properties of organogel electrolytes based on DDOA have been investigat ed. The presence of tetraalkylammonium salts in DDOA/PC gels is shown to pr eserve the three-dimensional network of DDOA fibers. In addition, at a give n temperature, the conductivity is practically the same in the gel as in th e corresponding solution with or without DDOA. The gelation temperature, T- gel, is slightly affected by the presence and nature of the salt. Thus, at 1M salt concentration, T-gel is increased by 9 degreesC with Et4NBF4 and de creased by 7 degreesC with Bu4NBF4, presumably because of a surfactant effe ct of the Bu4N+ cation. The electrochemical stability window of the liquid electrolyte is limited by the stability of DDOA, which displays the typical redox behavior of anthracene. However, in the gel state, DDOA is apparentl y protected within the fibers and the electrochemical stability extends up to 3 V. The performances of a DDOA gel electrolyte have been tested in a ca rbon double-layer capacitor.