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Dos Santos FB, McMichael PS, Whitbeck A, Jalaee A, Gyenge E, Foster EJ. Proton Exchange Membranes from Sulfonated Lignin Nanocomposites for Redox Flow Battery Applications. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2309459. [PMID: 38519858 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202309459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are increasingly being considered for a wide range of energy storage applications, and such devices rely on proton exchange membranes (PEMs) to function. PEMs are high-cost, petroleum-derived polymers that often possess limited durability, variable electrochemical performance, and are linked to discharge of perfluorinated compounds. Alternative PEMs that utilize biobased materials, including lignin and sulfonated lignin (SL), low-cost byproducts of the wood pulping process, have struggled to balance electrochemical performance with dimensional stability. Herein, SL nanoparticles are demonstrated for use as a nature-derived, ion-conducting PEM material. SL nanoparticles (NanoSLs) can be synthesized for increased surface area, uniformity, and miscibility compared with macrosized lignin, improving proton conductivity. After addition of polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) as a structural backbone, membranes with the highest NanoSL concentration demonstrated an ion exchange capacity of 1.26 meq g-1, above that of the commercial PEM Nafion 112 (0.98 meq g-1), along with a conductivity of 80.4 mS cm-1 in situ, above that of many biocomposite PEMs, and a coulombic efficiency (CE), energy efficiency (EE) and voltage efficiency (VE) of 91%, 68% and 78%, respectively at 20 mA cm-2. These nanocomposite PEMs demonstrate the potential for valorization of forest biomass waste streams for high value clean energy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Brito Dos Santos
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Advanced Materials Group, The University of British Columbia, 2360 E Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Philip Spencer McMichael
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Advanced Materials Group, The University of British Columbia, 2360 E Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Alex Whitbeck
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2360 E Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Adel Jalaee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Advanced Materials Group, The University of British Columbia, 2360 E Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Elod Gyenge
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of British Columbia, 2360 E Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - E Johan Foster
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Advanced Materials Group, The University of British Columbia, 2360 E Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
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