APPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY:
- Grid scale energy storage
- Potentially, production of high-value chemicals
ADVANTAGES:
- Low self-discharge
- Commercially available materials
ABSTRACT:
Researchers Adam Z. Weber and Michael Tucker developed improvements to the Cerium-Hydrogen (Ce-H2) redox flow cell by optimizing cell materials, electrolyte composition and operating protocol to make the Ce-H2 redox flow cell a good candidate for large scale energy storage. The flow cell may also be used in chemical production schemes in which the Ce4+ ion is produced electrochemically and used to promote oxidation in mediated electrosynthesis of high-value chemicals.
For energy storage applications, the Berkeley Lab technology has comparable energy efficiency and discharge power to Br2-H2 systems, lower toxicity, negligible vapor pressure of the active positive material, and higher voltage, while using commercially available materials. The optimized cell achieved maximum discharge power of 895 mW/cm2 and up to 90% energy efficiency. Performance of the cell is relatively insensitive to membrane thickness, Cerium concentration, and all features of the negative electrode and hydrogen flow.
DEVELOPMENT STAGE: Optimized cell materials achieved maximum discharge power of 895 mW/cm2 and up to 90% energy efficiency.
STATUS: Patent pending. Available for licensing or collaborative research.
SEE THESE OTHER BERKELEY LAB TECHNOLOGIES IN THIS FIELD:
Redox Mediators for Metal-Sulfur Batteries 2014-148