A comparative review of electrolytes for organic‐material‐based energy‐storage devices employing solid electrodes and redox fluids

Electrolyte chemistry is critical for any energy‐storage device. Low‐cost and sustainable rechargeable batteries based on organic redox‐active materials are of great interest to tackle resource and performance limitations of current batteries with metal‐based active materials. Organic active materials can be used not only as solid electrodes in the classic lithium‐ion battery (LIB) setup, but also as redox fluids in redox‐flow batteries (RFBs). Accordingly, they have suitability for mobile and stationary applications, respectively. Herein, different types of electrolytes, recent advances for designing better performing electrolytes, and remaining scientific challenges are discussed and summarized. Due to different configurations and requirements between LIBs and RFBs, the similarities and differences for choosing suitable electrolytes are discussed. Both general and specific strategies for promoting the utilization of organic active materials are covered.So solid storage : The use of organic redox‐active materials is a new tendency for rechargeable batteries, either as traditional solid‐state electrode materials in lithium‐ion batteries or as dissolved redox fluidic species in liquid electrolytes for redox flow batteries. The performance‐limiting scenarios and some illuminating improvements by formulating electrolytes are reviewed