Scientific Achievement
Demonstration of a “redox-matched” flow battery.
Significance and Impact
Covalent attachment of redox-active moieties to crosslinked polymer beads, coupled with redox-matched solution-phase molecular mediators, allows high energy density without crossover or solubility issues.
Research Details
- Viologen and ferrocene groups were covalently attached to Merrifield resin beads, creating a high effective concentration (1.0-1.7 M) of redox active moieties within the beads.
- The beads are stored in the reservoirs and the electrolyte/mediator solution flows past them, eliminating the possibility of crossover of the bead-bound material.
- The molecular mediators have structures very similar to the bead-bound species, such that their redox potentials are matched and they shuttle charge between the electrodes and the beads.
