MATERIALS FOR USE WITH AQUEOUS REDOX FLOW BATTERIES AND RELATED METHODS AND SYSYTEMS

• US 20150236543A1
• Filed: 02/18/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, UChicago Argonne LLC (University of Chicago)
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, UChicago Argonne LLC (University of Chicago)
• Inventors: Brushett, Fikile Richard, Jansen, Andrew Norbert, Vaughey, John Thomas, Su, Liang, Milshtein, Jarrod D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,812,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2300/0002 Aqueous electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/58 of inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy; of polyanionic structures, e.g. phosphates, silicates or borates
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/608 containing heterocyclic rings
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0215 Glass; Ceramic materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0236 Glass; Ceramics; Cermets
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/188 by recharging of redox couples containing fluids; Redox flow type batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/20 Indirect fuel cells, e.g. fuel cells with redox couple being irreversible H01M8/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Described herein are redox flow batteries comprising a first aqueous electrolyte comprising a first type of redox active material and a second aqueous electrolyte comprising a second type of redox active material. The first type of redox active material may comprise one or more types of quinoxalines, or salts thereof. Methods for storing and releasing energy utilizing the described redox flow batteries are also provided.

Claims

1. A redox flow battery comprising:

a first aqueous electrolyte comprising a first type of redox active material;

a second aqueous electrolyte comprising a second type of redox active material;

wherein the first type of redox active material comprises a quinoxaline moiety, or a salt or mixture thereof.

2. The battery of claim 1, further comprising a first electrode in contact with the first aqueous electrolyte and a second electrode in contact with the second aqueous electrolyte.

3. The battery of claim 1, further comprising a separator between the first aqueous electrolyte and second aqueous electrolyte.

4. The battery of claim 1, wherein the first aqueous electrolyte has a pH between about 7 and about 10, or between about 10 and about 12, or between about 12 and about 14.

6. The battery of claim 1, wherein the first type of redox active material is present in the first aqueous electrolyte in a concentration of between about 0.5 and about 2 M, between about 2 M and about 4 M, and between about 4 M and about 6 M, or between about 6 M and about 10 M.

7. The battery of claim 1, wherein the quinoxaline moiety comprises a compound comprising Formula (I):

8. The battery of claim 7, wherein:

each of R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, and R⁶ is independently hydrogen, halogen, optionally substituted alkyl, optionally substituted haloalkyl, —

CN, —

NO₂, —

OR^a, —

N(R^a)₂, —

C(═

O)OR^a, or —

S(═

O)₂OR^a; and

each R^a is independently hydrogen or optionally substituted alkyl.

9. The battery of claim 7, wherein none of, any two of, any three of, any four of, or any five of R¹, R², R³, R⁴ , R⁵ , and R⁶ are hydrogen.

10. The battery of claim 7, wherein the compound of Formula (I) comprises the structure:

12. The battery of claim 1, wherein the quinoxaline moiety comprises Formula (IV):

13. The battery of claim 1, wherein the quinoxaline moiety comprises a quinoxaline dimer or quinoxaline trimer.

14. The battery of claim 13, wherein the quinoxaline moiety comprises Formula (II):

15. The battery of claim 13, wherein the quinoxaline moiety comprises Formula (III-A):

16. The battery of claim 13, wherein the quinoxaline moiety comprises Formula (III-A):

18. The battery of claim 3, wherein the separator comprises a porous separator.

19. The battery of claim 3, wherein the separator comprises a cation exchange membrane.

20. The battery of claim 19, wherein the cation exchange membrane is a sulfonate containing fluoropolymer.

21. The battery of claim 3, wherein the separator comprises a cation conducting ceramic, cation conducting zeolite, or cation conducting glass.

23. The battery of claim 1, wherein the second type of redox active material comprises a hexacyanoiron complex, a quinone, a hydroquinone, or an organic dye, or a salt or mixture thereof.

24. The battery of claim 23, wherein the second type of redox active material comprises ferrocyanide, ferricyanide, 1,2-dihydroxy-3,5-benzenedisulfonate (Tiron), 1,2,4-trihydroxy-3,5-benzenedisulfonate, or indigo carmine, or a salt or mixture thereof.

25. The battery of claim 1, further comprising:

a first circulation loop comprising a storage tank containing the first aqueous electrolyte, piping for transporting the first aqueous electrolyte, a chamber in which the first electrode is in contact with the first aqueous electrolyte, and a pump to circulate the first aqueous electrolyte through the circulation loop

optionally a second circulation loop comprising a storage tank containing the first aqueous electrolyte, piping for transporting the first aqueous electrolyte, a chamber in which the first electrode is in contact with the first aqueous electrolyte, and a pump to circulate the first aqueous electrolyte through the circulation loop; and

control hardware and software.

26. A method of storing energy, comprising applying a potential difference across the first and second electrode of a flow battery of claim 2, wherein the first active material is reduced.

28. A method of releasing energy, comprising applying a potential difference across the first and second electrode of a flow battery of claim 2, wherein the first type of active material is oxidized.

5. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

29. (canceled)