DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Tunable Oxygen Functional Groups as Electrocatalysts on Graphite Felt Surfaces for All‐Vanadium Flow Batteries

Abstract

Abstract A dual oxidative approach using O 2 plasma followed by treatment with H 2 O 2 to impart oxygen functional groups onto the surface of a graphite felt electrode. When used as electrodes for an all‐vanadium redox flow battery (VRB) system, the energy efficiency of the cell is enhanced by 8.2 % at a current density of 150 mA cm −2 compared with one oxidized by thermal treatment in air. More importantly, by varying the oxidative techniques, the amount and type of oxygen groups was tailored and their effects were elucidated. It was found that O−C=O groups improve the cells performance whereas the C−O and C=O groups degrade it. The reason for the increased performance was found to be a reduction in the cell overpotential after functionalization of the graphite felt electrode. This work reveals a route for functionalizing carbon electrodes to improve the performance of VRB cells. This approach can lower the cost of VRB cells and pave the way for more commercially viable stationary energy storage systems that can be used for intermittent renewable energy storage.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory 902 Battelle Boulevard, P.O. Box 999 Richland WA 99352 USA
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1401435
Grant/Contract Number:  
57558; AC05-76L01830
Resource Type:
Publisher's Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
ChemSusChem
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: ChemSusChem Journal Volume: 9 Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 1864-5631
Publisher:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
Country of Publication:
Germany
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Estevez, Luis, Reed, David, Nie, Zimin, Schwarz, Ashleigh M., Nandasiri, Manjula I., Kizewski, James P., Wang, Wei, Thomsen, Edwin, Liu, Jun, Zhang, Ji‐Guang, Sprenkle, Vincent, and Li, Bin. Tunable Oxygen Functional Groups as Electrocatalysts on Graphite Felt Surfaces for All‐Vanadium Flow Batteries. Germany: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1002/cssc.201600198.
Estevez, Luis, Reed, David, Nie, Zimin, Schwarz, Ashleigh M., Nandasiri, Manjula I., Kizewski, James P., Wang, Wei, Thomsen, Edwin, Liu, Jun, Zhang, Ji‐Guang, Sprenkle, Vincent, & Li, Bin. Tunable Oxygen Functional Groups as Electrocatalysts on Graphite Felt Surfaces for All‐Vanadium Flow Batteries. Germany. https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.201600198
Estevez, Luis, Reed, David, Nie, Zimin, Schwarz, Ashleigh M., Nandasiri, Manjula I., Kizewski, James P., Wang, Wei, Thomsen, Edwin, Liu, Jun, Zhang, Ji‐Guang, Sprenkle, Vincent, and Li, Bin. Tue . "Tunable Oxygen Functional Groups as Electrocatalysts on Graphite Felt Surfaces for All‐Vanadium Flow Batteries". Germany. https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.201600198.
@article{osti_1401435,
title = {Tunable Oxygen Functional Groups as Electrocatalysts on Graphite Felt Surfaces for All‐Vanadium Flow Batteries},
author = {Estevez, Luis and Reed, David and Nie, Zimin and Schwarz, Ashleigh M. and Nandasiri, Manjula I. and Kizewski, James P. and Wang, Wei and Thomsen, Edwin and Liu, Jun and Zhang, Ji‐Guang and Sprenkle, Vincent and Li, Bin},
abstractNote = {Abstract A dual oxidative approach using O 2 plasma followed by treatment with H 2 O 2 to impart oxygen functional groups onto the surface of a graphite felt electrode. When used as electrodes for an all‐vanadium redox flow battery (VRB) system, the energy efficiency of the cell is enhanced by 8.2 % at a current density of 150 mA cm −2 compared with one oxidized by thermal treatment in air. More importantly, by varying the oxidative techniques, the amount and type of oxygen groups was tailored and their effects were elucidated. It was found that O−C=O groups improve the cells performance whereas the C−O and C=O groups degrade it. The reason for the increased performance was found to be a reduction in the cell overpotential after functionalization of the graphite felt electrode. This work reveals a route for functionalizing carbon electrodes to improve the performance of VRB cells. This approach can lower the cost of VRB cells and pave the way for more commercially viable stationary energy storage systems that can be used for intermittent renewable energy storage.},
doi = {10.1002/cssc.201600198},
journal = {ChemSusChem},
number = 12,
volume = 9,
place = {Germany},
year = {Tue May 17 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Tue May 17 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.201600198

Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 59 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

Save / Share:

Works referenced in this record:

Low Temperature Silicon Nitride and Silicon Dioxide Film Processing by Inductively Coupled Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition
journal, January 2000

  • Lee, J. W.; Mackenzie, K. D.; Johnson, D.
  • Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 147, Issue 4
  • DOI: 10.1149/1.1393382

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes used as an electrode reaction catalyst for /VO2+ for a vanadium redox flow battery
journal, September 2011


CeO 2 decorated graphite felt as a high-performance electrode for vanadium redox flow batteries
journal, January 2014

  • Zhou, Haipeng; Xi, Jingyu; Li, Zhaohua
  • RSC Adv., Vol. 4, Issue 106
  • DOI: 10.1039/C4RA12339E

Carbon nanoporous layer for reaction location management and performance enhancement in all-vanadium redox flow batteries
journal, January 2013


Preparation and electrochemical activities of iridium-decorated graphene as the electrode for all-vanadium redox flow batteries
journal, August 2012


A technology review of electrodes and reaction mechanisms in vanadium redox flow batteries
journal, January 2015

  • Kim, Ki Jae; Park, Min-Sik; Kim, Young-Jun
  • Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Vol. 3, Issue 33
  • DOI: 10.1039/C5TA02613J

Carbon paper coated with supported tungsten trioxide as novel electrode for all-vanadium flow battery
journal, November 2012


Redox flow batteries for the storage of renewable energy: A review
journal, January 2014

  • Alotto, Piergiorgio; Guarnieri, Massimo; Moro, Federico
  • Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 29
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2013.08.001

Recent Progress in Redox Flow Battery Research and Development
journal, September 2012

  • Wang, Wei; Luo, Qingtao; Li, Bin
  • Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 23, Issue 8, p. 970-986
  • DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201200694

All-vanadium redox flow batteries with graphite felt electrodes treated by atmospheric pressure plasma jets
journal, January 2015


Cost and performance model for redox flow batteries
journal, February 2014


Highly accurate apparatus for electrochemical characterization of the felt electrodes used in redox flow batteries
journal, April 2016


Graphite–graphite oxide composite electrode for vanadium redox flow battery
journal, May 2011


Bismuth Nanoparticle Decorating Graphite Felt as a High-Performance Electrode for an All-Vanadium Redox Flow Battery
journal, February 2013

  • Li, Bin; Gu, Meng; Nie, Zimin
  • Nano Letters, Vol. 13, Issue 3
  • DOI: 10.1021/nl400223v

Chemical modification of graphite electrode materials for vanadium redox flow battery application—part II. Acid treatments
journal, October 1992


Vanadium Flow Battery for Energy Storage: Prospects and Challenges
journal, March 2013

  • Ding, Cong; Zhang, Huamin; Li, Xianfeng
  • The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, Vol. 4, Issue 8
  • DOI: 10.1021/jz4001032

Redox flow batteries a review
journal, September 2011

  • Weber, Adam Z.; Mench, Matthew M.; Meyers, Jeremy P.
  • Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, Vol. 41, Issue 10, p. 1137-1164
  • DOI: 10.1007/s10800-011-0348-2

PbO2-modified graphite felt as the positive electrode for an all-vanadium redox flow battery
journal, March 2014


Modification of graphite electrode materials for vanadium redox flow battery application—I. Thermal treatment
journal, June 1992


Nanorod Niobium Oxide as Powerful Catalysts for an All Vanadium Redox Flow Battery
journal, December 2013

  • Li, Bin; Gu, Meng; Nie, Zimin
  • Nano Letters, Vol. 14, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1021/nl403674a

Oxygen plasma modification of pitch-based isotropic carbon fibres
journal, January 2003


Nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon for energy storage in vanadium redox flow batteries
journal, July 2010


Carbon felt supported carbon nanotubes catalysts composite electrode for vanadium redox flow battery application
journal, December 2012


Recent advances with UNSW vanadium-based redox flow batteries
journal, November 2009

  • Skyllas-Kazacos, Maria; Kazacos, George; Poon, Grace
  • International Journal of Energy Research, Vol. 34, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1002/er.1658

Elucidating the higher stability of vanadium(V) cations in mixed acid based redox flow battery electrolytes
journal, November 2013


A new strategy for integrating abundant oxygen functional groups into carbon felt electrode for vanadium redox flow batteries
journal, November 2014

  • Kim, Ki Jae; Lee, Seung-Wook; Yim, Taeeun
  • Scientific Reports, Vol. 4, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1038/srep06906

A Stable Vanadium Redox-Flow Battery with High Energy Density for Large-Scale Energy Storage
journal, March 2011

  • Li, Liyu; Kim, Soowhan; Wang, Wei
  • Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 1, Issue 3, p. 394-400
  • DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201100008

Investigation of Active Electrodes Modified with Platinum/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube for Vanadium Redox Flow Battery
journal, January 2012

  • Huang, Rong-Hsin; Sun, Chung-Hsing; Tseng, Tung-mo
  • Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 159, Issue 10
  • DOI: 10.1149/2.003210jes

Investigation of Ir-modified carbon felt as the positive electrode of an all-vanadium redox flow battery
journal, August 2007


Thermally reduced graphite and graphene oxides in VRFBs
journal, November 2013


Effect of Some Oxidation Treatments on the Textural Characteristics and Surface Chemical Nature of an Activated Carbon
journal, February 2000

  • Domingo-García, M.; López-Garzón, F. J.; Pérez-Mendoza, M.
  • Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol. 222, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1006/jcis.1999.6619

Nanostructured Electrocatalysts for All-Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries
journal, May 2015

  • Park, Minjoon; Ryu, Jaechan; Cho, Jaephil
  • Chemistry - An Asian Journal, Vol. 10, Issue 10
  • DOI: 10.1002/asia.201500238

Probing Electrode Losses in All-Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries with Impedance Spectroscopy
journal, January 2013

  • Sun, C. -N.; Delnick, F. M.; Aaron, D. S.
  • ECS Electrochemistry Letters, Vol. 2, Issue 5
  • DOI: 10.1149/2.001305eel

New All-Vanadium Redox Flow Cell
journal, January 1986

  • Skyllas-Kazacos, M.
  • Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 133, Issue 5
  • DOI: 10.1149/1.2108706

Electrically pumped hybrid AlGaInAs-silicon evanescent laser
journal, January 2006

  • Fang, Alexander W.; Park, Hyundai; Cohen, Oded
  • Optics Express, Vol. 14, Issue 20
  • DOI: 10.1364/OE.14.009203

The effects of surface modification on carbon felt electrodes for use in vanadium redox flow batteries
journal, December 2011


Graphite Felt Modified with Bismuth Nanoparticles as Negative Electrode in a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery
journal, February 2014

  • Suárez, David J.; González, Zoraida; Blanco, Clara
  • ChemSusChem, Vol. 7, Issue 3
  • DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201301045

Nanoparticle-coated separators for lithium-ion batteries with advanced electrochemical performance
journal, January 2011

  • Fang, Jason; Kelarakis, Antonios; Lin, Yueh-Wei
  • Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, Vol. 13, Issue 32
  • DOI: 10.1039/c1cp22017a