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Class of 2027
Major:
Chemistry
Mathematics
Hello! My name is Ellie Potts, I’m a rising senior from Arlington, VA. I am a chemistry and mathematics double major currently conducting research on iron-based complexes for use in redox flow batteries. As a 2026 summer fellow, I have been working in Dr. Oldacre’s Lab working on synthesizing and...
Semester:
Summer 2026
Description

Discrete coordination complexes (DCCs) composed of metal centers and organic ligands are emerging as promising electrolyte materials for next-generation redox flow batteries (RFBs). Current RFB technologies rely on vanadium cores which is expensive, limiting the economic feasibility of this renewable energy source on a larger scale. This study aimed to synthesize and evaluate an iron (II) based discrete structure with electrochemical properties ideal for use in RFBs. The iron(ii) DCC was synthesized and characterized using electrochemical methods, such as, cyclic voltammetry to probe for reversible electron exchange. The iron (II) structure analyzed in this study was found to have promising quasi-reversible characteristics with a peak separation of 111.08 ± 7.34 mV and peak current ratio of 1.20 ± 0.04  though more testing is required to analyze long term stability.  

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