Project Details
Redox-active ionic liquids in redox-flow-batteries
Subject Area
Polymer Materials
Term
from 2018 to 2022
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 392851120
Redox flow batteries (RFBs) are interesting candidates for stationary energy storage. Their capacity and power can be scaled independently by adjusting the size of the storage tank and the cell stack, respectively. In contrast to classical batteries, redox flow batteries (RFBs) are based on active materials, which are dissolved (suspended) in a liquid electrolyte. Consequently, the achievable energy densities are limited due to the presence of a non-active solvent (often water). The most investigated RFB is the all vanadium RFB, which utilizes vanadium ions dissolved in sulfuric acid. In recent years, the interest in organic (polymeric) active materials is steadily growing. This joined proposal aims to develop redox-active ionic liquids (IL) as new materials for the electrolytes of RFBs. All molecules present in the electrolyte will therefore be redox-active. Additionally, the limited voltage window of aqueous electrolytes will be extended. Consequently, higher energy densities will be achievable.The project will be investigated by the two partners at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Institute for Technical Chemistry and Environmental Chemistry as well as Institute for Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry). Latter partner will contribute to the synthesis and structural characterization of novel redox-active ionic liquids. These ILs will comprise redox-active moieties and ionic groups. The properties will be tuned by the respective structure of the IL. Furthermore IOMC will perform the tests of the synthesized materials in test RFB cells. The ITUC will contribute to the extensive characterization of the synthesized materials. In particular the electrochemical as well as thermal properties will be of interest.
DFG Programme
Research Grants