Ion pairing enhances hydroquinone stability toward oxygen in aqueous electrochemical carbon dioxide capture.

ABSTRACT: The use of redox-active organic molecules for aqueous electrochemical carbon dioxide capture is limited by their tendency to undergo reversible oxidation by oxygen. Here we show that a naphthoquinone derivative, when reduced in the presence of tetraalkylammonium countercations, displays enhanced stability toward oxygen while maintaining carbon dioxide binding ability. By combining structural modification with control of non-covalent interactions, we mitigate a previously observed trade-off between carbon dioxide capture performance and resistance to aerobic oxidation. In situ spectrophotometry and comparative voltammetry indicate that ion pairing stabilizes the reduced quinone both by shifting its redox potential and by promoting carbon dioxide adduct formation. Among the cations tested, t

SUBMITTER: Alfaraidi AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12644461 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature