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