Symmetric redox flow battery containing organic redox active molecule

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017187059-A1
Application number	US-201515128550-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2015
Priority date	Mar 24, 2014
Publication date	Jun 29, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A redox flow battery comprising: a positive compartment containing a positive electrode in contact with a liquid electrolyte comprised of an organic redox active molecule dissolved in a solvent; a negative compartment containing a negative electrode in contact with a liquid electrolyte comprised of said organic redox active molecule dissolved in a solvent; electrical communication means for establishing electrical communication between said positive electrode, said negative electrode and an external load for directing electrical energy into or out of said symmetric redox flow battery; a separator component that separates the electrolyte solutions in the positive and negative compartments while permitting the passage of non-redox-active species between electrolyte solutions in positive and negative compartments; and means capable of establishing flow of the electrolyte solutions past said positive and negative electrodes, respectively. Methods of using the above-described redox flow battery for storing and releasing electrical energy are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A symmetric redox flow battery comprising:
a positive compartment containing a positive electrode in contact with a liquid electrolyte solution comprised of an organic redox active molecule dissolved in a solvent; a negative compartment containing a negative electrode in contact with a liquid electrolyte solution comprised of said organic redox active molecule dissolved in a solvent; electrical communication means for establishing electrical communication between said positive electrode, said negative electrode, and an external load for directing electrical energy into or out of said symmetric redox flow battery; a separator component that separates the liquid electrolyte solution in the positive compartment from the liquid electrolyte solution in the negative compartment and substantially prevents the organic redox active molecules in positive and negative compartments from intermingling with each other, while permitting the passage of non-redox-active species between electrolyte solutions in positive and negative compartments; and means capable of establishing flow of the electrolyte solutions past said positive and negative electrodes, respectively.

2 . The redox flow battery of claim 1 , wherein the organic redox active molecule contains an aromatic ring.

3 . The redox flow battery of claim 1 , wherein the organic redox active molecule contains a quinone ring.

4 . The redox flow battery of claim 3 , wherein the organic redox active molecule is an anthraquinone-containing molecule.

5 . The redox flow battery of claim 4 , wherein the anthraquinone-containing molecule has a structure according to the following formula:

wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are independently selected from: hydrogen atom; hydrocarbon groups R having one to twenty carbon atoms with optional inclusion of one or more heteroatoms selected from oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and halogen atoms, wherein said hydrocarbon group R is attached to the shown ring by a carbon atom; halogen atoms; nitrile groups; amino groups —NR 9 R 10 , wherein R 9 and R 10 are independently selected from hydrogen atom and hydrocarbon groups R; hydroxy groups; ether groups —OR; carboxamide groups —C(O)NR 9 R 10 or —NR 9 C(O)R; keto groups —C(O)R; carboxylic acid groups —C(O)OH or salt thereof; ester groups —C(O)OR; sulfonate groups; phosphonate groups; and nitrate groups, wherein two or more of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 can optionally interconnect to form one or more additional rings on the anthraquinone ring system.

6 . The redox flow battery of claim 5 , wherein at least one of said R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 groups is an amino group of the formula —NR 9 R 10 .

7 . The redox flow battery of claim 5 , wherein at least two of said R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 groups are amino groups of the formula —NR 9 R 10 .

8 . The redox flow battery of claim 5 , wherein at least three of said R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 groups are amino groups of the formula —NR 9 R 10 .

9 . The redox flow battery of claim 5 , wherein at least four of said R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 groups are amino groups of the formula —NR 9 R 10 .

10 . The redox flow battery of claim 1 , further comprising one or more electrolyte storage tanks with conduit means connected to said positive and negative compartments.

11 . The redox flow battery of claim 1 , wherein said liquid electrolyte solution further comprises a supporting electrolyte.

12 . The redox flow battery of claim 1 , wherein said solvent is aqueous-based.

13 . The redox flow battery of claim 1 , wherein said solvent is an organic solvent.

14 . The redox flow battery of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical source for intermittent supply of electrical energy to the symmetric redox flow battery for charging of the symmetric redox flow battery, and said load is designed and electrically connected in a manner that stores electrical energy produced from said symmetric redox flow battery.

15 . The redox flow battery of claim 14 , further comprising switching means in electrical communication with said source and load for regulating when said source and load are in electrical communication with said positive and negative electrodes.

16 . A method for storing and releasing electrical energy, the method comprising electrically charging a symmetric redox flow battery followed by electrically discharging said symmetric redox flow battery, wherein said symmetric redox flow battery comprises:
a positive compartment containing a positive electrode in contact with a liquid electrolyte solution comprised of an organic redox active molecule dissolved in a solvent; a negative compartment containing a negative electrode in contact with a liquid electrolyte solution comprised of said organic redox active molecule dissolved in a solvent; electrical communication means for establishing electrical communication between said positive electrode, said negative electrode, and an external load for directing electrical energy into or out of said symmetric redox flow battery; a separator component that separates the liquid electrolyte solution in the positive compartment from the liquid electrolyte solution in the negative compartment and substantially prevents the redox active molecules in positive and negative compartments from intermingling with each other, while permitting the passage of non-redox-active species between electrolyte solutions in positive and negative compartments; and means that establish flow of the electrolyte solutions past said positive and negative electrodes, respectively; charging said redox flow battery by supplying electrical energy to said positive and negative electrodes while said external load is not in electrical communication with said positive and negative electrodes and while flowing the electrolyte solutions, to result in oxidation of the organic redox active molecule in the liquid electrolyte in the positive compartment and reduction of the organic redox active molecule in the liquid electrolyte in the negative compartment, to produce, respectively, an oxidized version of the organic redox active molecule in the positive compartment and a reduced version of the organic redox active molecule in the negative compartment; and discharging said solar flow battery by establishing electrical communication between said external load with said positive and negative electrodes and while flowing the electrolyte solutions, to result in net electrical power output dissipated at the external load with concomitant reversal of redox reactions of the organic redox active molecule in the positive and negative compartments.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the organic redox active molecule contains an aromatic ring.

18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the organic redox active molecule contains a quinone ring.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the organic redox active molecule is an anthraquinone-containing molecule.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the anthraquinone-containing molecule has a structure according to the following formula:

wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are independently selecte

Assignees

• Univ Cornell

Inventors

• Potash Rebecca
• Mckone James R
• Abruna Hector D
• Conte Sean

Classifications

• H01M2250/10

  Fuel cells in stationary systems, e.g. emergency power source in plant · CPC title

• H01M8/188 Primary

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

• H01M2300/0025

  Organic electrolyte · CPC title

• H02J7/00

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

• H01M8/04276

  Arrangements for managing the electrolyte stream, e.g. heat exchange · CPC title