A team at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), with CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru, has reported polymeric materials that could transform clean energy technologies. The study describes two coordination polymers, Zn(DAB) and Cd(DAB), formed from zinc or cadmium ions and 3,3'-diaminobenzidine that assemble into layered frameworks. The materials can be synthesised at room temperature in large quantities without complex equipment, which supports scale up.

The team tested the polymers for storing energy and producing hydrogen. In laboratory three electrode evaluations the materials showed high specific capacitances of 2091.4 F g-1 for Zn(DAB) and 1341.6 F g-1 for Cd(DAB). In asymmetric supercapacitor configurations Zn(DAB) reached 785.3 F g-1 while Cd(DAB) achieved 428.5 F g-1. The materials retained much of their capacity after 5000 continuous charge discharge cycles, indicating durability.

The polymers also acted as electrocatalysts for water splitting to generate hydrogen, requiring overpotentials of 263 mV for Zn(DAB) and 209 mV for Cd(DAB). These relatively low energy requirements make the materials competitive with leading catalysts and suggest potential to lower the cost of green hydrogen production. The combination of energy storage and hydrogen generation in a single material sets these coordination polymers apart from many single purpose alternatives.

The findings were published in ACS Omega and Catalysis Science and Technology and were authored by Samika Anand, Abhishek Kumar, Dr C. V. Yelamaggad and Dr Sunaja Devi K. R. The researchers noted that scalable synthesis combined with robust device level performance could bridge laboratory advances and practical deployment. Further work will need to demonstrate long term operation in integrated systems and to assess cost implications for commercial use.