Issue 9, 2019

Methanesulfonic acid-based electrode-decoupled vanadium–cerium redox flow battery exhibits significantly improved capacity and cycle life

Abstract

An electrode-decoupled V–Ce redox flow battery (ED-RFB) was developed with 40% greater theoretical volumetric capacity and a 30% enhancement in practical volumetric capacity was demonstrated. The use of methanesulfonic acid supported V and Ce electrolytes and a highly permselective polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene (SEBS) triblock copolymer anion exchange separator enabled a >95% reduction in capacity fade compared to standard H2SO4 supported V–Ce ED-RFBs. The methanesulfonic acid supported V and Ce electrolytes was examined using the Marcus–Hush kinetic formulation and the presence of strongly solvated cations was shown to reduce capacity fade by cation cross-over. The ED-RFB maintained nearly 100% coulombic efficiency (CE) and ca. 70% energy efficiency (EE) (at a 50 mA cm−2 galvanostatic charge/discharge current) over 100 cycles. The EE ranged from 85% at 25 mA cm−2 to 50% at 100 mA cm−2. The separator was highly acid stable with no changes in its FT-IR spectra and ionic conductivity before and after cycling. Thus, a V–Ce ED-RFB with long life, excellent rate capability and stability is demonstrated. The use of CH3SO3H, a “green” chemical with low toxicity and easy effluent treatment, facilitates scale-up and grid-scale deployment.

Graphical abstract: Methanesulfonic acid-based electrode-decoupled vanadium–cerium redox flow battery exhibits significantly improved capacity and cycle life

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
08 May 2019
Accepted
11 Jul 2019
First published
12 Jul 2019

Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2019,3, 2417-2425

Author version available

Methanesulfonic acid-based electrode-decoupled vanadium–cerium redox flow battery exhibits significantly improved capacity and cycle life

S. Sankarasubramanian, Y. Zhang and V. Ramani, Sustainable Energy Fuels, 2019, 3, 2417 DOI: 10.1039/C9SE00286C

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