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U.S. Department of Energy
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Development of membranes for the zinc/ferricyanide battery

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5629411

The successful commercialization of the zinc/ferricyanide battery depends in part on the availability of an inexpensive, chemically stable membrane. The objectives of this study were to: (1) identify chemically stable commercial and/or developmental membranes and (2) explore new approaches to the synthesis and fabrication of chemically stable membranes. The stability of membranes was evaluated by their response to a saturated solution of sodium ferricyanide in 5N sodium hydroxide for one week at 50/sup 0/C. The most promising membranes were tested in cycling test cells by Lockheed Corp. The cycle tests enabled the cell's voltaic, coulombic and energy efficiency to be determined as a function of a membrane's exposure time. A radiatively grafted membrane prepared by RAI Research Corp. using fluorinated film substrates exhibited 79.3% average energy efficiency for 760 charge/discharge cycles. A membrane prepared by casting sulfonated polysulfone exhibited 75.4% average energy efficiency for 150 charge/discharge cycles.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76DP00789
OSTI ID:
5629411
Report Number(s):
SAND-84-2358C; CONF-850808-5; ON: DE85011189
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English