CARBENIUM BASED ORGANIC REDOX FLOW BATTERIES

A redox flow battery including: a catholyte including a radical dication of a conjugated heterocyclic carbenium compound; and an anolyte including a neutral radical of a conjugated heterocyclic carbenium compound; wherein the conjugated heterocyclic carbenium compounds present in the catholyte and anolyte are the same compound; and the redox flow battery has an open circuit potential of greater than about 2 V. A redox flow battery including: a catholyte including a conjugated heterocyclic cationic compound in a first oxidation state; and an anolyte including a conjugated heterocyclic cationic compound in a second oxidation state; wherein the first oxidation state is a higher oxidation state than the second oxidation state.