Molecular Mechanism and Electrostatic Effect Enabling Symmetric All-Quinone Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Symmetric all-quinone aqueous redox flow batteries (SQA-RFBs), in which the same quinone derivative is used as the electroactive compound in the negative and positive electrolytes, thereby obviating the need for a species-selective membrane, have been pursued as a potentially cost-effective and sustainable technology for stationary-electrical energy storage. Molecular decomposition during redox activity has frustrated all symmetric organic aqueous RFB development attempts. We used in situ/operando spectroelectrochemistry and density functional theory calculations to demonstrate that during the redox reaction of alizarin red S (ARS), a promising quinone for SQA-RFBs, intramolecular electronic oscillations form positively charged intermediates. Electrodes functionalized with net negative charge stabilize these intermediates via a hybrid adsorptive–diffusive electrochemical reaction mechanism, thereby enabling the cycling of the SQA-RFB. To understand the mechanism, spectroelectrochemical studies were performed on a series of electrodes with and without this functionalization. We report the performance of the first membraneless SQA-RFB prototype, containing ARS in the electrolyte storage reservoirs and instrumented with a reference electrode to evaluate the evolution of the half-cell potentials.
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
Awards: Understanding the charge transfer mechanisms in biological and biomimetic systems using in-situ and operando techniques: from fundamental science to energy application, G1366903727, G1437099910, G26566168, G295657101, G3225448316, G3369291428, G3801158431, G4402799499, G447890400, G4850382345, G5637761350, High performance electrodes applied in organic batteries and in biofuel cell, G606287840, G6326230484, Towards a convergence of technologies: from sensing and biosensing to information visualization and machine learning for data analysis in clinical diagnosis, G6438247056, Computational study of the electron transfer mechanism in nanostructured hybrid systems, Bio-photo-electrochemical hybrid cells for solar energy conversion, G7908492273, G8942462809, G8977522519
OpenAlex ID: W4400899130