Electrochemical Advances in Non‐Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries

Abstract

Electrochemistry has made a significant impact on scientific discovery and industrial development throughout recent history. One of the most important contributions of the field, the battery, has provided much of the energy storage for this progress. Recently, redox flow batteries have emerged as a promising modern battery technology toward grid‐scale energy storage. Through the employment of non‐aqueous electrolytes and optimization of redox‐active organic molecules as catholyte and anolyte, these batteries have the potential to offer affordable, environmentally‐friendly energy storage without sacrificing desirable high energy densities and long cycling lifetimes. These developments are ongoing, and the associated computational tools have expanded the capabilities and scope of redox flow batteries and shown a path toward the eventual commercialization of this technology to continue to provide power to humanity into a bright future.

Concepts and principles of self-n-doping in perylene diimide chromophores for applications in biochemistry, energy harvesting, energy storage, and catalysis

“…Redox flow batteries (RFBs) have garnered attention in recent years as they are seen as one of the most attractive targets for stationary energy storage with high capacity for industrial scaling. 228,229 However, widespread adoption is restricted due to high cost, and use of low abundance or hazardous materials. Organic RFBs are thus attractive but have lagged behind due to instability of the charged electrolytes.…”

Redox Flow Batteries: Materials, Design and Prospects

“…The use of computational tools and interdisciplinary knowledge created may be expressively improved to meet the criteria for commercialization and global applications. Understanding the fundamentals of such systems through modeling, design, synthesis, and wide-scale collaboration between research groups will allow us to address the energy storage needs of the future [48].…”

Reversible Switching of Molecular Conductance in Viologens is Controlled by the Electrochemical Environment

“…Charge transport at the electrode−electrolyte interface involves multiple simultaneous and sequential steps such as intra-and interchain charge hopping via self-exchange, 3 charge diffusion with redox-active polymers or particles, 4 and charge transport between the redox groups and electrodes. 5,6 Molecular charge transport in these systems critically depends on the chemical identity of the redox-active moiety, 7 particle structure, 8 and the solvent 9 and supporting electrolyte. 10 Prior work has focused on understanding the role of different electrolyte species and electrode structures on interfacial charge transport.…”

“…The development of new energy-storage systems for next-generation batteries and smart electronic devices has attracted substantial scientific attention. , Designing energy-storage systems with enhanced performance requires a fundamental understanding of the charge-transport mechanisms in redox-active and conjugated organic molecules. Charge transport at the electrode–electrolyte interface involves multiple simultaneous and sequential steps such as intra- and interchain charge hopping via self-exchange, charge diffusion with redox-active polymers or particles, and charge transport between the redox groups and electrodes. , Molecular charge transport in these systems critically depends on the chemical identity of the redox-active moiety, particle structure, and the solvent and supporting electrolyte . Prior work has focused on understanding the role of different electrolyte species and electrode structures on interfacial charge transport.…”