Evolutionary Design of Low Molecular Weight Organic Anolyte Materials for Applications in Nonaqueous Redox Flow Batteries
- Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States, Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States, Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
- Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States, Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
The integration of renewable energy sources into the electric grid requires low-cost energy storage systems that mediate the variable and intermittent flux of energy associated with most renewables. Nonaqueous redox-flow batteries have emerged as a promising technology for grid-scale energy storage applications. Because the cost of the system scales with mass, the electroactive materials must have a low equivalent weight (ideally 150 g/(mol·e–) or less), and must function with low molecular weight supporting electrolytes such as LiBF4. However, soluble anolyte materials that undergo reversible redox processes in the presence of Li-ion supports are rare. We report the evolutionary design of a series of pyridine-based anolyte materials that exhibit up to two reversible redox couples at low potentials in the presence of Li-ion supporting electrolytes. A combination of cyclic voltammetry of anolyte candidates and independent synthesis of their corresponding charged-states was performed to rapidly screen for the most promising candidates. Results of this workflow provided evidence for possible decomposition pathways of first-generation materials and guided synthetic modifications to improve the stability of anolyte materials under the targeted conditions. This iterative process led to the identification of a promising anolyte material, N-methyl 4-acetylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate. This compound is soluble in nonaqueous solvents, is prepared in a single synthetic step, has a low equivalent weight of 111 g/(mol·e–), and undergoes two reversible 1e– reductions in the presence of LiBF4 to form reduced products that are stable over days in solution.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-06CH11357
- OSTI ID:
- 1225406
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1352862
- Journal Information:
- Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal Name: Journal of the American Chemical Society Vol. 137 Journal Issue: 45; ISSN 0002-7863
- Publisher:
- American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
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