The Fundación Barrié and the Galician Academy of Sciences (RAGC) have awarded an Accésit in Basic Sciences of their 2025 Research Prizes to a study led by Manuel Souto, principal investigator at CiQUS, together with Jonathan Caroni and Arindam Mal, members of his research group at the centre. These annual awards recognise outstanding research conducted wholly or partly in Galicia and published in leading international scientific journals.
The awarded study, published in Advanced Materials, reports the design and development of a new organic cathode for lithium-ion batteries based on a porous organic polymer containing multiple redox-active sites. Unlike conventional inorganic cathodes, which rely on critical metals such as cobalt or nickel, this approach focuses on organic materials composed of abundant elements, offering a more sustainable and socially responsible alternative.
The material, known as HAT-PTO, exhibits an exceptionally high charge-storage capacity, among the highest reported so far for this class of organic systems. To overcome one of the main challenges of organic electrodes—poor electronic conductivity—the researchers integrated the polymer with carbon nanotubes, creating a hybrid material capable of operating at high current densities while retaining its capacity over thousands of charge–discharge cycles. Electrical conductivity measurements were carried out by Rafael Ramos, also a researcher at CiQUS.
Electrochemical tests revealed an outstanding combination of high capacity, fast charge–discharge rates and long-term cycling stability. Advanced characterisation techniques and theoretical calculations, performed in collaboration with the National Institute of Chemistry of Slovenia and the University of Aveiro, confirmed that all electroactive units in the material participate reversibly in lithium storage, explaining its high efficiency. In addition, the polymer is synthesised in aqueous media, avoiding the use of organic solvents and further enhancing the sustainability of the process.
This research forms part of the work of the ElectroMolMat group led by Manuel Souto at CiQUS, which focuses on the rational design of organic and molecular materials for electrochemical energy storage. The recognition by the Fundación Barrié and the RAGC highlights the international relevance of this research and reinforces CiQUS’s role as a leading centre in materials chemistry and energy research. CiQUS receives financial support from the European Union through the Galicia FEDER Programme 2021–2027.
Reference
A. Mal, J. Caroni, A. Patriarchi, et al. “ Polyimide-Linked Hexaazatriphenylene-Based Porous Organic Polymer with Multiple Redox-Active Sites as a High-Capacity Organic Cathode for Lithium-Ion Batteries.” Adv. Mater. (2025): e12950. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202512950
CiQUS´ researchers Jonathan Caroni, Manuel Souto and Arindam Mal.
