Energy providing devices and applications thereof

1. An energy providing device comprising a charged compound modified substrate or zwitterion-modified substrate, wherein the charged compound modified substrate or zwitterion-modified substrate comprises a compound that has the structure of Formula I:

wherein

A is selected from —C(═O)— and —(SO 2 )—;

L is selected from —OQ, —O − , —N + R 3 HQ and —NR 3 Q;

Q is a structure represented by a formula:

Z is selected from —CR 6a R 6b —, —C(═O)—, —C(═NH)—, and —C(═NH)NR 7 —;

m is an integer selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8;

each of R 1a and R 1b is independently selected from hydrogen and halogen;

each of R 2a and R 2b is halogen;

R 3 , when present, is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

each of R 4a and R 4b , when present, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, —CN, —OH, —NR 8a R 8b , —NR 8a R 8b H + , C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 monohaloalkyl, C1-C4 polyhaloalkyl, —SO 3 − , —SO 3 R 9 , —CO 2 − , and —CO 2 R 9 ;

each of R 5a , R 5b , and R 5c is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, —CN, —OH, —NR 10a R 10b , —NR 10a R 10b R 10c+ , C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 monohaloalkyl, C1-C4 polyhaloalkyl, —SO 3 − , —SO 3 R 11 , —CO 2 − , and —CO 2 R 11 ;

each of R 6a and R 6b , when present, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, —CN, —OH, —NR 12a R 12b , —NR 12a R 12b H + , C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 monohaloalkyl, C1-C4 polyhaloalkyl, —SO 3 − , —SO 3 R 13 , —CO 2 − , and —CO 2 R 13 ;

R 7 , when present, is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

each of R 8a and R 8b , when present, is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

R 9 , when present, is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

each of R 10a , R 10b , and R 10c when present, is independently selected from hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, —(C1-C8alkylene)SO 3 − , —(C1-C8alkylene)SO 3 H, —(C1-C8alkylene)CO 2 − , and —(C1-C8alkylene)CO 2 H;

R 11 , when present, is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

each of R 12a and R 12b , when present, is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

R 13 , when present, is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl, and

provided that the compound is charged or zwitterionic.

2. The energy providing device of claim 1 , wherein the compound has a structure selected from:

3. The energy providing device of claim 1 , wherein the compound has the structure selected from:

4. The energy providing device of claim 1 , wherein Q is selected from:

5. The energy providing device of claim 1 , wherein the compound of Formula I is:

6. The energy providing device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a separator.

7. The energy providing device of claim 1 , further comprising an electrolyte disposed onto the charged compound modified substrate or zwitterion modified substrate.

8. The energy providing device of claim 1 , further comprising an electrode.

9. The energy providing device of claim 1 , wherein the energy providing device comprises a battery, a supercapacitor, or a fuel cell.

10. A method of preparing a charged compound modified substrate or zwitterion modified substrate comprising:

a) contacting a substrate with an alcohol for a time sufficient for the alcohol to saturate the substrate;

b) incubating the saturated substrate with a solution comprising a charged or zwitterionic compound for at least 30 seconds; and

c) exposing the substrate of step b) under a light source for at least 30 seconds, thereby generating the charged compound modified substrate or zwitterion modified substrate.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the charged or zwitterionic compound is a compound that has the structure of Formula I:

wherein

A is selected from —C(═O)— and —(SO 2 )—;

L is selected from —OQ, —O − , —N + R 3 HQ and —NR 3 Q;

Q is a structure represented by a formula:

Z is selected from —CR 6a R 6b —, —C(═O)—, —C(═NH)—, and —C(═NH)NR 7 —;

m is an integer selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8;

each of R 1a and R 1b is independently selected from hydrogen and halogen;

each of R 2a and R 2b is halogen;

R 3 , when present, is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

each of R 4a and R 4b , when present, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, —CN, —OH, —NR 8a R 8b , —NR 8a R 8b H + , C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 monohaloalkyl, C1-C4 polyhaloalkyl, —SO 3 − , —SO 3 R 9 , —CO 2 − , and —CO 2 R 9 ;

each of R 5a , R 5b , and R 5c is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, —CN, —OH, —NR 10a R 10b , —NR 10a R 10b R 10c+ , C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 monohaloalkyl, C1-C4 polyhaloalkyl, —SO 3 − , —SO 3 R 11 , —CO 2 − , and —CO 2 R 11 ;

each of R 6a and R 6b , when present, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, —CN, —OH, —NR 12a R 12b , —NR 12a R 12b H + , C1-C4 alkyl, C1-C4 monohaloalkyl, C1-C4 polyhaloalkyl, —SO 3 − , —SO 3 R 13 , —CO 2 − , and —CO 2 R 13 ;

R 7 , when present, is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

each of R 8a and R 8b , when present, is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

R 9 , when present, is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

each of R 10a , R 10b , and R 10c when present, is independently selected from hydrogen, C1-C4 alkyl, —(C1-C8alkylene)SO 3 − , —(C1-C8alkylene)SO 3 H, —(C1-C8alkylene)CO 2 − , and —(C1-C8alkylene)CO 2 H;

R 11 , when present, is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

each of R 12a and R 12b , when present, is independently selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

R 13 , when present, is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl, and

provided that the compound is charged or zwitterionic.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the charged or zwitterionic compound is:

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the time sufficient for the alcohol to saturate the substrate is about 2 seconds, 3 seconds, about 4 seconds, about 5 seconds, about 10 seconds, about 15 seconds, about 20 seconds, or more.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the incubating of step b) is for at least 1 minutes, at least 1.5 minutes, at least 2 minutes, at least 3 minutes, at least 4 minutes, at least 5 minutes, at least 10 minutes, at least 15 minutes, or at least 20 minutes.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the light source is an ultraviolet light source.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising incubating the charged compound modified substrate or zwitterion modified substrate in a water-alcohol solution after exposure with the light source of step c).

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the substrate comprises a separator.

18. A charged or zwitterionic compound that has the structure of Formula IIa of Formula IIb:

wherein

A is selected from —C(═O)— and —(SO 2 )—;

each of R 1a and R 1b is independently selected from hydrogen and halogen;

each of R 2a and R 2b is halogen;

R 3 is selected from hydrogen and C1-C4 alkyl;

R 10a and R 10b are independently selected from C1-C4 alkyl; and

R 10c is selected from C1-C4 alkyl, —(C1-C8alkylene)SO 3 − , —(C1-C8alkylene)SO 3 H, —(C1-C8alkylene)CO 2 − , and —(C1-C8alkylene)CO 2 H.

19. The compound of claim 18 , wherein the compound is: