POLYMER BATTERIES AND FUEL CELLS HAVING PROTIC SOLVENTS AND METHODS FOR THEIR CONSTRUCTION AND USE

摘要

Secondary batteries are provided having at least one electrode which comprises a conjugated polymer having conjugated unsaturation along the main backbone chain thereof, said polymer being electrochemically oxidizable to a p-type doped material and electrochemically reducible to an n-type doped material. The battery is provided with an electrolyte which is protic in nature and which contains at least one ionic dopant capable of doping the polymer to a conductive state in the electrolyte.Methods of reversibly doping certain conjugated polymers in protic media are also disclosed. Fuel cells and electrolytic cells are also provided employing the protic doping systems and cells disclosed.