Aqueous redox flow batteries comprising metal ligand coordination compounds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016276694-A1
Application number	US-201615167930-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	Jul 27, 2012
Publication date	Sep 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

This invention is directed to aqueous redox flow batteries comprising redox-active metal ligand coordination compounds. The compounds and configurations described herein enable flow batteries with performance and cost parameters that represent a significant improvement over that previous known in the art.

First claim

What is claimed is the following:

1 . An aqueous solution comprising:
a metal complex containing at least one substituted catecholate ligand; and a supporting electrolyte comprising an ammonium salt or a phosphonate salt.

2 . The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the ammonium salt comprises an alkylammonium salt or an arylammonium salt.

3 . The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the metal complex has a concentration of at least about 0.5 M in the aqueous solution.

4 . The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the at least one substituted catecholate ligand comprises a sulfonated catecholate ligand.

5 . The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the at least one substituted catecholate ligand comprises a hydroxycatecholate ligand.

6 . The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the metal complex contains two unsubstituted catecholate ligands and one substituted catecholate ligand.

7 . The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the metal complex contains one unsubstituted catecholate ligand and two substituted catecholate ligands.

8 . The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the metal complex comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mo, Sn, Ti, U, W, Zn and Zr.

9 . The aqueous solution of claim 8 , wherein the metal complex comprises Ti.

10 . The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution has a pH ranging between about 9 to about 13.

11 . The aqueous solution of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution has a pH ranging between about 8 to about 12.

12 . A flow battery comprising:
a first half-cell containing a first electrolyte solution; and a second half-cell containing a second electrolyte solution;
wherein at least one of the first electrolyte solution and the second electrolyte solution comprises an aqueous solution comprising a metal complex containing at least one catecholate ligand, and a supporting electrolyte comprising an ammonium salt or a phosphonate salt.

13 . The flow battery of claim 12 , wherein the ammonium salt comprises an alkylammonium salt or an arylammonium salt.

14 . The flow battery of claim 12 , wherein the metal complex contains at least one unsubstituted catecholate ligand and at least one substituted catecholate ligand.

15 . The flow battery of claim 14 , wherein the at least one substituted catecholate ligand comprises a sulfonated catecholate ligand.

16 . The flow battery of claim 14 , wherein the at least one substituted catecholate ligand comprises a hydroxycatecholate ligand.

17 . The flow battery of claim 14 , wherein the metal complex contains two unsubstituted catecholate ligands and one substituted catecholate ligand.

18 . The flow battery of claim 14 , wherein the metal complex contains one unsubstituted catecholate ligand and two substituted catecholate ligands.

19 . The flow battery of claim 12 , wherein the metal complex contains three unsubstituted catecholate ligands.

20 . The flow battery of claim 12 , wherein the metal complex comprises Ti.

21 . The flow battery of claim 12 , wherein the metal complex has a concentration of at least about 0.5 M in the aqueous solution.

Assignees

• Lockheed Martin Advanced Energy Storage Llc

Inventors

• Goeltz John
• Amadeo Desiree
• Esswein Arthur J
• Jarvi Thomas D
• King Evan R
• Reece Steven Y
• Tyagi Nitin

Classifications

• H01M8/20

  Indirect fuel cells, e.g. fuel cells with redox couple being irreversible (H01M8/18 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/08

  Fuel cells with aqueous electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M8/188 Primary

  by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title