Alternative low cost electrodes for hybrid flow batteries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021313589-A1
Application number	US-202117235810-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 20, 2021
Priority date	Dec 30, 2014
Publication date	Oct 7, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrode for use in an all-iron redox flow battery is provided. In one example, the electrode may include a plastic mesh; and a coating on the plastic mesh. The coating may be a hydrophilic coating or a conductive coating and the electrode may have an electrode reaction potential is less than 0.8V. Further, a method of manufacturing a coated plastic mesh electrode for use in an all-iron redox flow battery is provided. In one example method, the steps include fabricating a plastic mesh, treating the plastic mesh by applying a solvent treatment or a plasma treatment or a mechanical abrasion treatment; coating the plastic mesh with a material selected from: carbon inks, metal oxides, and hydrophilic polymers.

First claim

1 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . A method of manufacturing a coated plastic mesh electrode for use in an all-iron redox flow battery, the method comprising:
fabricating a plastic mesh; treating the plastic mesh by applying a solvent treatment or a plasma treatment or a mechanical abrasion treatment; and applying a coating to the plastic mesh, the coating comprising a material, the material comprising:
a carbon ink or a hydrophilic polymer.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the plastic mesh is fabricated from polypropylene.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the plastic mesh is fabricated from polyolefin.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the coating is applied to the plastic mesh using a technique selected from:
dip coating, roller coating, and air brushing.

21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the material comprises the carbon ink.

22 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the material comprises the hydrophilic polymer, the hydrophilic polymer comprising perfluorosulfonic acid or sulfonated polyether ether ketone.

23 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the material comprises a metal oxide.

24 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the plastic mesh is a unipolar mesh, a bipolar mesh, a woven mesh, or a stretched mesh.

25 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the coated plastic mesh electrode has an open area of 15% to 65% and an open volume of 10% to 70%.

26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein an electrode reaction potential of the all-iron redox flow battery including the coated plastic mesh electrode is less than 0.8 V.

27 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the coated plastic mesh electrode is configured to plate iron metal from an iron salt electrolyte in the all-iron redox flow battery, and
wherein the material is selected for interfacing with the iron salt electrolyte as used in the all-iron redox flow battery.

28 . The method of claim 17 , wherein treating the plastic mesh improves an adhesion of the material coated to the plastic mesh relative to not treating the plastic mesh.

29 . The method of claim 17 , wherein treating the plastic mesh comprises modifying surface properties of the plastic mesh.

30 . The method of claim 17 , wherein coating the plastic mesh in the material reduces an amount of hydrogen bubbles trapped in the plastic mesh during operation of the all-iron redox flow battery including the coated plastic mesh electrode relative to an amount of hydrogen bubbles trapped in a non-coated plastic mesh during operation of an all-iron redox flow battery including a non-coated plastic mesh electrode.

31 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising heat treating the coating to cure the coating and eliminate any solvents therefrom.

32 . A method of manufacturing a coated plastic mesh electrode for use in an all-iron redox flow battery, the method comprising:
fabricating a plastic mesh; treating the plastic mesh by applying a solvent treatment or a high energy density treatment or a mechanical abrasion treatment; and applying a coating to the plastic mesh, the coating comprising a material selected from carbon inks and hydrophilic polymers.

33 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the plastic mesh is treated by applying the solvent treatment.

34 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the plastic mesh is treated by applying the mechanical abrasion treatment.

35 . The method of claim 32 , wherein the plastic mesh is treated by applying the high energy density treatment, the high energy density treatment being a plasma treatment or a UV radiation treatment.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the plastic mesh is treated by applying the plasma treatment, the plasma treatment being an electron-beam plasma treatment or a cold-gas plasma treatment.

Assignees

• Ess Technology Inc

Inventors

• Evans Craig E
• Song Yang
• Chen Jeffrey

Classifications

• H01M8/0245

  in the form of layered or coated products · CPC title

• H01M4/8803 Primary

  Supports for the deposition of the catalytic active composition (H01M4/90 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01M8/188

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

• H01M8/18

  Regenerative fuel cells, e.g. redox flow batteries or secondary fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/20

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