(414e) Hierarchical Carbon-Based Electrode Materials for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries

Hierarchical Carbon-based Electrode Materials for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries

P. Trogadas, T.P. Neville, D.J.L. Brett, P.R. Shearing, and M.-O. Coppens

Centre for Nature Inspired Engineering and Electrochemical Innovation Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place London WC1E 7JE United Kingdom.

The demand for efficient energy storage has necessitated the search for novel electrode materials for energy storage devices, such as the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB).¹ To maximize storage capacity and kinetics during charge and discharge cycles, electrode materials must have large surface area, high electronic and ionic conductivity as well as long-term stability. Hierarchical nanostructured electrode materials have attracted much attention nowadays due to their unique properties compared to bulk materials; the interconnectivity between pores of different sizes and the high surface area results in improved diffusivity and utilization of reactants and thus improved battery performance. Key geometric characteristics of meso / nanoporous carbon based materials will be presented along with their synthesis technique and activity / stability measurements. Using a combination of micro-tomography (CT) measurements of voltage-cycled graphite felts (over ca. 30 charge / discharge cycles), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements of the same felt electrode, the first description of micro-structural evolution processes occurring in VRFB felts during operation is provided.

References

1. A. Weber et al., J. Appl. Electrochem., 41, 1137 (2011).