Article
Chemistry, Physical
Maedeh Pahlevaninezhad, Elizabeth Esther Miller, Lixin Yang, Lauren Sarah Prophet, Ashutosh Singh, Thomas Storwick, Majid Pahlevani, Michael A. Pope, Edward P. L. Roberts
Summary: The use of ultrathin graphene coating on Nafion membranes significantly improves the performance of vanadium redox flow batteries, leading to higher energy efficiency (increased by 13%), power density (by 67%), and discharge capacity (by 17.5%) over 100 cycles.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jiaye Ye, Du Yuan, Mei Ding, Yong Long, Ting Long, Lidong Sun, Chuankun Jia
Summary: The Nafion/lignin composite membrane shows excellent performance in VRFB, with high conductivity, low vanadium ions permeability, and outstanding cycling stability. Compared to commercial counterparts, it exhibits higher Coulombic efficiency and energy efficiency.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Hyeon Jin Choi, Chulsang Youn, Seong Cheon Kim, Dasom Jeong, Sung Nam Lim, Duck Rye Chang, Jong Wook Bae, Jeasung Park
Summary: In this study, a nanoporous metal-organic framework was utilized as a membrane material for vanadium redox flow batteries to enhance the performance of conventional Nafion membranes. The addition of small amounts of an Al-based MOF with hydroxyl and sulfonic acid functional groups to the Nafion solution resulted in composite membranes with improved physicochemical properties and electrochemical performance. The proposed composite membrane showed better capacity retention and energy efficiency compared to commercial Nafion membranes, indicating potential economic advantages.
MICROPOROUS AND MESOPOROUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Md Abdul Aziz, Dabin Han, Sangaraju Shanmugam
Summary: By incorporating TiZrO4 nanotubes into a Nafion composite membrane, a VFB with ultrahigh ion selectivity and superior performance is achieved, including high proton conductivity and increased discharge capacity.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Amirreza Khataee, Hannes Nederstedt, Patric Jannasch, Rakel Wreland Lindstro
Summary: In this study, we synthesized two types of poly(p-terphenylene alkylene)s containing perfluoroalkylsulfonic acid and perfluorophenylsulfonic acid, respectively, through superacid-mediated polyhydroxyalkylations and made proton exchange membranes (PEMs) out of them. Compared to Nafion 212, the PEM with perfluorophenylsulfonic acid groups (PTPF-Phenyl-SA) showed higher ionic conductivity and eight times lower vanadium (IV) permeation rate. The VRFB based on PTPF-Phenyl-SA exhibited longer self-discharge duration, high average coulombic efficiency of 99.6%, and lower capacity fade of 0.24% per cycle compared to Nafion 212.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jun Su, Jiaye Ye, Zhenyu Qin, Lidong Sun
Summary: In this study, an ultrathin polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film was deposited onto Nafion substrates using radio frequency magnetron sputtering to form PTFE@Nafion composite membranes. The PTFE layer improved the dimensional stability and ion selectivity of the Nafion membranes, resulting in better self-discharge property and discharge capacity retention in the VRFB single cell.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hyebin Kim, Jihun Paick, Jung S. Yi, Doohwan Lee
Summary: Heteroatom doping can enhance the electrokinetics of vanadium redox reactions in flow batteries, but this study found that the enhancements observed by p-type and n-type doping are primarily due to surface lattice defects. However, p-n type boron-nitrogen co-doping shows exceptional catalytic activity and significantly improves the efficiency and energy storage capacity of vanadium redox flow batteries.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Gowthami Palanisamy, Tae Hwan Oh
Summary: In recent years, vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) have gained significant attention due to their long cycle life, flexibility, high-energy efficiency, and reliability. Polymer membranes, such as Nafion, used in VRFB play a crucial role in proton transport and act as barriers between electrodes/electrolytes. However, the high cost and vanadium ions permeability of commercial membranes limit their commercial application. Therefore, various modified perfluorinated and non-perfluorinated membranes, including hybrid polymer composite membranes with TiO2 nanofillers, have been developed to improve the performance of VRFB.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Amirreza Khataee, Dong Pan, Joel S. Olsson, Patric Jannasch, Rakel Wreland Lindstrom
Summary: The potential application of a 50 mu m thick anion exchange membrane based on PTPT for VRFBs is investigated. PTPT shows lower vanadium permeation and longer self-discharge duration compared to Nafion 212. Additionally, asymmetric cycling is more effective and efficient for the VRFB assembled with PTPT, with capacity fade of 0.03% cycle(-1) and the highest coulombic efficiency of 98.8% achieved.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Hongli An, Run Zhang, Wenhao Li, Pan Li, Huidong Qian, Hui Yang
Summary: A chemically-modified Nafion membrane with aminopropyl isobutyl polyhedral oligosilses-quioxane (NH2-POSS) has been developed for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The modified membrane shows enhanced ion selectivity, improved dimensional stability, and reduced vanadium ion crossover, resulting in higher efficiency and longer cycle life for the battery.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qian Huang, Chaojie Song, Alasdair Crawford, Zhengming Jiang, Alison Platt, Khalid Fatih, Christina Bock, David Reed
Summary: Redox flow batteries have been studied as a promising energy storage system for grid applications. However, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the reliability and degradation mechanisms of these batteries. In this research, an ultra-stable reference electrode is developed to address the challenge of separating the contributions from individual electrodes, and the reliability and degradation mechanism of a scaled all-vanadium flow battery are explored.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yu Cui, Yang Hu, Yicheng Wang, Yue Wang, Jing Peng, Jiuqiang Li, Maolin Zhai
Summary: In this study, tertiary amino-modified graphene oxide (TAGO) was successfully synthesized and a Nafion-TAGO composite membrane was prepared. The composite membrane showed excellent performance in vanadium redox flow battery, including thermal stability, proton conductivity, VO2+ permeability, and ion selectivity.
RADIATION PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Y. Lei, B. W. Zhang, B. F. Bai, X. Chen, T. S. Zhao
Summary: The study introduces a transient model of VRFB with a bipolar membrane, which improves the Poisson equation to describe the Donnan effect between the two layers for a full description of charge and ion transport. Numerical results demonstrate that bipolar membranes with thin anion exchange layers exhibit higher energy efficiency at large current densities.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Wei Ling, Xiongwei Wu, Funian Mo
Summary: A 3D carbon nanonetwork coated graphite fiber electrode with multi-heteroatom doping was developed to improve the electrochemical activity and ion diffusion kinetics for application in vanadium redox flow batteries. The composite electrode exhibited sufficient diffusion of vanadium ions, rapid electron conduction, and highly enhanced electrochemical activity, resulting in high discharge capacity, energy efficiency, and stability.
Article
Electrochemistry
Alexandros Pasadakis-Kavounis, Funda Arslan, Mads Radmer Almind, David Aili, Johan Hjelm
Summary: In this study, a series of polybenzimidazole-polyvinylchloride polymer blends decorated with different quaternary ammonium groups were investigated. The blend with 90% polybenzimidazole content and decorated with DABCO showed superior performance, including low polarization resistance, low swelling, and high stability in acidic media. This suggests that quaternary ammonium functionalized polybenzimidazole-polyvinylchloride systems are excellent candidates for modification or fabrication of thinner membranes to reduce membrane resistance without compromising vanadium blocking properties.
BATTERIES & SUPERCAPS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jin Zhang, Sian Chen, Huijuan Bai, Shanfu Lu, Yan Xiang, San Ping Jiang
Summary: The study presents a new composite membrane based on PWA-doped PES-PVP matrix, showing improved mechanical strength and proton conductivity for HT-PEMFCs, with potential applications in high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Eliran R. Hamo, Ramesh K. Singh, John C. Douglin, Sian Chen, Mohamed Ben Hassine, Enrique Carbo-Argibay, Shanfu Lu, Haining Wang, Paulo J. Ferreira, Brian A. Rosen, Dario R. Dekel
Summary: Transition metal carbides were used as supports for PtRu nanoparticles in catalyzing the sluggish hydrogen oxidation reaction in alkaline electrolyte, demonstrating enhanced catalytic activity. The study provides experimental and theoretical evidence of strong metal-support interaction and a potential pathway for the development of advanced catalysts.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Liting Cui, Haining Wang, Sian Chen, Yiwen Zhang, Zhaoqian Lv, Jin Zhang, Yan Xiang, Shanfu Lu
Summary: This study conducted density functional theory calculations to investigate the interaction between graphene and various solvent molecules, revealing a correlation between the interaction energy and the dispersion concentration of graphene in solvents. Using methanol, ethanol, or 2-propanol as solvents, the size of graphene-supported palladium nanoparticles decreased with stronger interaction between graphene and solvent molecules. This work provides valuable insights into the dispersion mechanism of graphene in solvents and the preparation of graphene-supported metal nanoparticles through wet chemistry methods.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY C
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Qinghao Wu, Dawei Liang, Shanfu Lu, Jin Zhang, Haining Wang, Yan Xiang, Doron Aurbach
Summary: The study demonstrates a simple and cost-effective method for fabricating high-CE electrodes for desalination through applying a thin layer of inorganic ion-exchange material on activated carbon electrodes.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yang Lyu, Yiyang Liu, Jialin Zhang, Jujia Zhang, Zhengjian Li, Sian Chen, Jin Zhang, Haining Wang, Shanfu Lu, Yan Xiang
Summary: In this study, Alizarin was selected as the mediator for alkaline MedFCs due to its remarkable reversibility and low permeability. It exhibited rapid charge transfer properties and decent alkali stability, resulting in a theoretical open-circuit voltage of 1.06 V and a maximum peak power density of 169.55 mW cm-2 at 25 degrees C. The utilization of an efficient mediator into a MedFC fundamentally accomplishes the restructuring in its chemistry process, as demonstrated by the stability and performance of the alkaline MedFC with Az.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wen Li, Haining Wang, Jin Zhang, Yan Xiang, Shanfu Lu
Summary: This review focuses on the application status of polyvinylpyrrolidone-based PEMs in various electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices, describing the key scientific problems in these fields and providing constructive suggestions and guidance for their application.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wenrui Yan, Jin Zhang, Shanfu Lu, San Ping Jiang, Yan Xiang
Summary: In high-temperature formic acid fuel cells, the dehydrogenation behavior of formic acid is crucial for boosting cell output performance. The concentration of formic acid affects the amount of hydrogen produced, while reducing water vapor content may promote dehydration and inhibit dehydrogenation. Dehydration leads to the release of carbon monoxide, but it does not significantly affect the power output of the fuel cell.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhengjian Li, Sian Chen, Liting Cui, Haining Wang, Shanfu Lu, Yan Xiang
Summary: This study investigates the influence of water diffusivity on the water distribution and performance of a bipolar membrane fuel cell (BPMFC), revealing a positive correlation relationship between water diffusivity and water distribution as well as BPMFC performance. Increasing the water diffusivity of the alkaline polymer electrolytes can enhance the amount of interfacial-generated water and improve the conductivity and oxygen reduction reaction kinetics of the cell, resulting in a breakthrough in peak power density without humidification.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wen Li, Wen Liu, Jin Zhang, Haining Wang, Shanfu Lu, Yan Xiang
Summary: This study reports a porous polybenzimidazole membrane with dense double skin layers that effectively alleviates hydrogen permeation and phosphoric acid loss, resulting in enhanced stability. The membrane exhibits excellent proton conductivity and fuel cell performance due to the synergistic mass transfer of amino tris (methylene phosphonic acid) and phosphoric acid. Furthermore, the membrane operates in a wider temperature range.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jujia Zhang, Sian Chen, Haibing Wei, Jin Zhang, Haining Wang, Shanfu Lu, Yan Xiang
Summary: To address the stress loss and plasticization issues in polymer electrolyte membranes during startup/shutdown stages, a proton conductor confinement strategy is introduced. By precisely regulating polymer side-chain structure and defined plasticization quantitative indicator, significant refinements in membrane's conductivity, durability, and single-cell performance are achieved successfully.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Chunxiao Wu, Shanfu Lu, Haining Wang, Sian Chen, Yan Xiang
Summary: Constructing proton-exchange membranes using g-C3N4 nanosheets improves the ionic conductivity and selectivity of advanced vanadium redox flow batteries.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yiyang Liu, Jiao Xu, Shanfu Lu, Yan Xiang
Summary: Iron-chromium redox flow batteries have attracted attention due to their low cost, but their performance is lower than that of vanadium redox flow batteries. In this study, a binder-free TiN nanorods array-decorated 3D graphite felt composite electrode is demonstrated. The electrode has increased surface area, more adsorption sites, and electrochemically active sites, resulting in reduced contact resistance and improved stability. The battery prepared using this electrode showed higher power density and efficiency compared to one with TiN nanoparticles bonded to graphite felt, and remained stable during a redox flow battery cycle test.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Qingxin Wang, Xinrui Liu, Siying Tao, Haining Wang, Shanfu Lu, Yan Xiang, Jing Zhang
Summary: This study uses machine learning techniques and microscopic characterization to analyze the performance trends and influencing factors of batch-synthesized Fe-N-C catalysts under microwave-assisted preparation conditions. Machine learning analysis reveals that the precursor mass has the most significant influence on product performance, and microscopic characterization uncovers that these influencing factors impact catalyst performance by modulating the degree of agglomeration.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lu Zhou, Yunqi Li, Xiran Chen, Zhi Yang, Shuo Yang, Qian Wang, Xin-Ying Liu, Shanfu Lu
Summary: Fe-N-C catalysts can replace expensive and scarce platinum-based catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells, and they exhibit better performance stability. The proton resistance increase in MEAs is identified as the primary cause of performance degradation, while changes in the structure and morphology of the cathode catalyst layer are not the main reasons.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yiyang Liu, Ting Feng, Shanfu Lu, Haining Wang, Yan Xiang
Summary: Phosphotungstic acid demonstrates high stability, electrochemical activity, and low permeability as a liquid fuel for DLFCs. Its application effectively addresses the issues of high cost of anode catalysts and fuel permeation loss in traditional DLFCs.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL MATERIALS
(2022)
