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A bi-porous graphite felt electrode with enhanced surface area and catalytic activity for vanadium redox flow batteries

Author

Listed:
  • Jiang, H.R.
  • Shyy, W.
  • Wu, M.C.
  • Zhang, R.H.
  • Zhao, T.S.

Abstract

In this work, a bi-porous graphite felt electrode is prepared by a simple yet effective catalytic etching method for vanadium redox reflow batteries (VRFBs). The primary pores, ∼100 μm in size and formed by voids between interconnected carbon fibers, act as the macroscopic pathways for electrolyte flow, while the secondary pores, ∼200 nm in size and formed onto carbon fibers, increase the active surfaces for electrochemical reactions. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller results show that the specific surface area of bi-porous graphite felt is 17.73 m2 g−1, which is 7 times larger than that of the original graphite felt. The cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests demonstrate the higher peak currents, smaller peak potential separations and lower charge transfer resistances of the bi-porous graphite felt than the original graphite felt. Battery tests show that the VRFB with the bi-porous graphite felt electrode achieves an energy efficiency of 87.02% and an electrolyte utilization of 84.07% at the current density of 200 mA cm−2, which are 17.90% and 38.91% higher than that with the original graphite felt electrodes. More importantly, the battery can be operated at the high current densities of 300 and 400 mA cm−2 with the energy efficiencies of 82.47% and 77.69%, among the highest performance in the open literature. All these superior results demonstrate that the bi-porous graphite felt prepared in this work offers a promise to replace conventional mono-scale porous graphite felt electrodes for VRFBs.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiang, H.R. & Shyy, W. & Wu, M.C. & Zhang, R.H. & Zhao, T.S., 2019. "A bi-porous graphite felt electrode with enhanced surface area and catalytic activity for vanadium redox flow batteries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233, pages 105-113.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:233-234:y:2019:i::p:105-113
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.10.033
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    6. Wei, Zhongbao & Zhao, Jiyun & Ji, Dongxu & Tseng, King Jet, 2017. "A multi-timescale estimator for battery state of charge and capacity dual estimation based on an online identified model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 1264-1274.
    7. Yang, Xiao-Guang & Ye, Qiang & Cheng, Ping & Zhao, Tim S., 2015. "Effects of the electric field on ion crossover in vanadium redox flow batteries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 306-319.
    8. Han, Xue & Zhao, Guankun & Xu, Chao & Ju, Xing & Du, Xiaoze & Yang, Yongping, 2017. "Parametric analysis of a hybrid solar concentrating photovoltaic/concentrating solar power (CPV/CSP) system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 520-533.
    9. Zeng, Y.K. & Zhao, T.S. & Zhou, X.L. & Zeng, L. & Wei, L., 2016. "The effects of design parameters on the charge-discharge performance of iron-chromium redox flow batteries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C), pages 204-209.
    10. Zhou, X.L. & Zhao, T.S. & An, L. & Zeng, Y.K. & Zhu, X.B., 2016. "Performance of a vanadium redox flow battery with a VANADion membrane," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 353-359.
    11. Jiang, H.R. & Wu, M.C. & Ren, Y.X. & Shyy, W. & Zhao, T.S., 2018. "Towards a uniform distribution of zinc in the negative electrode for zinc bromine flow batteries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 366-374.
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    3. Wei, L. & Zeng, L. & Wu, M.C. & Fan, X.Z. & Zhao, T.S., 2019. "Seawater as an alternative to deionized water for electrolyte preparations in vanadium redox flow batteries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Fang, Yuan & Zhang, Tingting & Wang, Yonghui & Chen, Yuanzhen & Liu, Yan & Wu, Wenling & Zhu, Jianfeng, 2020. "The highly efficient cathode of framework structural Fe2O3/Mn2O3 in passive direct methanol fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    5. Chen, Wei & Kang, Jialun & Shu, Qing & Zhang, Yunsong, 2019. "Analysis of storage capacity and energy conversion on the performance of gradient and double-layered porous electrode in all-vanadium redox flow batteries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 341-355.
    6. Shi, Yu & Eze, Chika & Xiong, Binyu & He, Weidong & Zhang, Han & Lim, T.M. & Ukil, A. & Zhao, Jiyun, 2019. "Recent development of membrane for vanadium redox flow battery applications: A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 202-224.
    7. Wang, Rui & Li, Yinshi & Wang, Yanning & Fang, Zhou, 2020. "Phosphorus-doped graphite felt allowing stabilized electrochemical interface and hierarchical pore structure for redox flow battery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    8. Zhang, Kaiyue & Xiong, Jing & Yan, Chuanwei & Tang, Ao, 2020. "In-situ measurement of electrode kinetics in porous electrode for vanadium flow batteries using symmetrical cell design," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    9. Zeng, Yikai & Li, Fenghao & Lu, Fei & Zhou, Xuelong & Yuan, Yanping & Cao, Xiaoling & Xiang, Bo, 2019. "A hierarchical interdigitated flow field design for scale-up of high-performance redox flow batteries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 435-441.
    10. Jiang, H.R. & Zeng, Y.K. & Wu, M.C. & Shyy, W. & Zhao, T.S., 2019. "A uniformly distributed bismuth nanoparticle-modified carbon cloth electrode for vanadium redox flow batteries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 226-235.

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