Towards an all-vanadium redox-flow battery electrolyte: electrooxidation of V(III) in V(IV)/V(III) redox couple

Spectroelectrochemical study of carbon structural and functionality characteristics on vanadium redox reactions for flow batteries

Vanadium redox flow batteries have applications for large-scale electricity storage. This paper reports the influence of carbon structural characteristics of sustainable walnut shell-derived carbons in carbon/polyvinylidene fluoride composite electrodes on vanadium redox reactions. Pyrolysis, gasification, and chemical treatment procedures were used to modify the structural characteristics of carbons. Carbon functional groups were modified by chemical treatment with HNO3, heat treatment with K2CO3, and high-temperature NH3 treatment. Carbon porous structures were characterized using gas adsorption studies. Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to characterize the carbon molecular structure. Functional groups were characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, acid/base titrations, temperature-programmed desorption, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The influence of carbon structure, porosity, and surface functional groups on the redox reactions of vanadium was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and electrical impedance spectroscopy. The VO2+/VO2 + and V2+/V3+ couples had well-defined peaks in cyclic voltammetry, with the former being the most intense, but the V3+/VO2+ couple was not observed for samples carbonized under nitrogen. The results show that V2+/V3+ and VO2+/VO2 + couples observed in cyclic voltammograms were enhanced for carbonization temperatures up to 800 °C. Electrical impedance spectroscopy also showed impedance trends. The electrochemistry results are primarily related to changes in carbon structure and the catalysis of V3+ oxidation by surface functional groups in the carbon structure. The V3+/VO2+ couple was limited by slow kinetics, but it occurs on specific oxygen and nitrogen sites in the carbon structure. The oxidation of V(iii) to V(iv) only occurs on a limited number of surface sites, and the outer-sphere electron transfer to oxidize V(iii) takes place at much more positive potentials. The coulombic, voltage, and energy efficiency of the carbon electrodes were suitable for batteries.

Trust is good, control is better: a review on monitoring and characterization techniques for flow battery electrolytes

Flow batteries (FBs) currently are one of the most promising large-scale energy storage technologies for energy grids with a large share of renewable electricity generation. Among the main technological challenges for the economic operation of a large-scale battery technology is its calendar lifetime, which ideally has to cover a few decades without significant loss of performance. This requirement can only be met if the key parameters representing the performance losses of the system are continuously monitored and optimized during the operation. Nearly all performance parameters of a FB are related to the two electrolytes as the electrochemical storage media and we therefore focus on them in this review. We first survey the literature on the available characterization methods for the key FB electrolyte parameters. Based on these, we comprehensively review the currently available approaches for assessing the most important electrolyte state variables: the state-of-charge (SOC) and the state-of-health (SOH). We furthermore discuss how monitoring and operation strategies are commonly implemented as online tools to optimize the electrolyte performance and recover lost battery capacity as well as how their automation is realized via battery management systems (BMSs). Our key findings on the current state of this research field are finally highlighted and the potential for further progress is identified.

Segmented Printed Circuit Board Electrode for Locally-resolved Current Density Measurements in All-Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries

One of the most important parameters for the design of redox flow batteries is a uniform distribution of the electrolyte solution over the complete electrode area. The performance of redox flow batteries is usually investigated by general measurements of the cell in systematic experimental studies such as galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling. Local inhomogeneity within the electrode cannot be locally-resolved. In this study a printed circuit board (PCB) with a segmented current collector was integrated into a 40 cm2 all-vanadium redox flow battery to analyze the locally-resolved current density distribution of the graphite felt electrode. Current density distribution during charging and discharging of the redox flow battery indicated different limiting influences. The local current density in redox flow batteries mainly depends on the transport of the electrolyte solution. Due to this correlation, the electrolyte flow in the porous electrode can be visualized. A PCB electrode can easily be integrated into the flow battery and can be scaled to nearly any size of the electrode area. The carbon coating of the PCB enables direct contact to the corrosive electrolyte, whereby the sensitivity of the measurement method is increased compared to state-of-the-art methods.

Vanadium Electrolyte for All-Vanadium Redox-Flow Batteries: The Effect of the Counter Ion

In this study, 1.6 M vanadium electrolytes in the oxidation forms V(III) and V(V) were prepared from V(IV) in sulfuric (4.7 M total sulphate), V(IV) in hydrochloric (6.1 M total chloride) acids, as well as from 1:1 mol mixture of V(III) and V(IV) (denoted as V3.5+) in hydrochloric (7.6 M total chloride) acid. These electrolyte solutions were investigated in terms of performance in vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB). The half-wave potentials of the V(III)/V(II) and V(V)/V(IV) couples, determined by cyclic voltammetry, and the electronic spectra of V(III) and V(IV) electrolyte samples, are discussed to reveal the effect of electrolyte matrix on charge-discharge behavior of a 40 cm2 cell operated with 1.6 M V3.5+ electrolytes in sulfuric and hydrochloric acids. Provided that the total vanadium concentration and the conductivity of electrolytes are comparable for both acids, respective energy efficiencies of 77% and 72–75% were attained at a current density of 50 mA∙cm−2. All electrolytes in the oxidation state V(V) were examined for chemical stability at room temperature and +45 °C by titrimetric determination of the molar ratio V(V):V(IV) and total vanadium concentration.

Effect of Fe(III) on the positive electrolyte for vanadium redox flow battery

It is important to study the effect of Fe(III) on the positive electrolyte, in order to provide some practical guidance for the preparation and use of vanadium electrolyte. The effect of Fe(III) on the thermal stability and electrochemical behaviour of the positive electrolyte for the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) was investigated. When the Fe(III) concentration was above 0.0196 mol l^-1, the thermal stability of V(V) electrolyte was impaired, the diffusion coefficient of V(IV) species decreased from (2.06-3.33) × 10^-6 cm² s^-1 to (1.78-2.88) × 10^-6 cm² s^-1, and the positive electrolyte exhibited a higher electrolyte resistance and a charge transfer resistance. Furthermore, Fe(III) could result in the side reaction and capacity fading, which would have a detrimental effect on battery application. With the increase of Fe(III), the collision probability of vanadium ions with Fe(III) and the competition with the redox reaction was aggravated, which would interfere with the electrode reaction, the diffusion of vanadium ions and the performance of VRFB. Therefore, this study provides some practical guidance that it is best to bring the impurity of Fe(III) below 0.0196 mol l^-1 during the preparation and use of vanadium electrolyte.