Abstract
Using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), it was shown for four different types of carbon that electrode treatments at negative potentials enhance the kinetics of VIV-VV and inhibit the kinetics of VII-VIII while electrode treatments at positive potentials inhibit the kinetics of VIV-VV and enhance the kinetics of VII-VIII. These observations may explain conflicting reports in the literature. The potentials required for activation and deactivation of electrodes were examined in detail. The results suggest that interchanging the positive and negative electrodes in a vanadium flow battery (VFB) would reduce the overpotential at the negative electrode and so improve the performance. This is supported by flow-cell experiments. Thus, periodic catholyte-anolyte interchange, or equivalent alternatives such as battery overdischarge, show promise of improving the voltage efficiency of VFBs.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Z. Yang et al., Chem. Rev., 111, 3577 (2011) and references therein
M. L. Perry et al., J. Electrochem. Soc., 163, 1, A5064 (2016) and references therein
D. Reed et al., J. Electrochem. Soc., 163, 1, A5211 (2016)
M. Skyllas-Kazacos et al , J. Electrochem. Soc. 158, R55 (2011)
M. A. Miller et al., J. Electrochem. Soc. 163, A2095 (2016)
A. Bourke et al., J. Electrochem. Soc. 163, A5097 (2016) and references therein
A. Bourke et al., J. Electrochem. Soc. 162, A1547 (2015)
C. Petchsingh et al., J. Electrochem. Soc. 163, A5068 (2016)
D. N. Buckley et al., J. Electrochem. Soc., 161 A524 (2014)
D. Oboroceanu et al., J. Electrochem. Soc. 163, A2919 (2016) and references therein
L. Li et al. Adv. Energy Mater. 1, 394 (2011)
M. Vijayakumar et al., J. Power Sources 196, 3669 (2011); ibid 241, 173 (2013)
S. Kim et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 13, 18186 (2011)
J. Zhang et al., J. Appl. Electrochem., 41, 1215 (2011)
A. H. Whitehead et al., J. Power Sources 230, 271 (2013)
G. Oriji et al., J. Power Sources 139, 321–324 (2005)
E. Sum et al., J. Power Sources 15, 179 (1985); ibid. 16, 85 (1985)
D. Aaron et al., ECS Electrochemistry Letters, 2, A29 (2013)
H. Kaneko et al., Electrochimica Acta, 36, 1191 (1991)
M. Gattrell et al., J. Electrochem. Soc., 151, A123 (2004)
Y. Shao et al., J. Power Sources 195, 4375 (2010)
X. Gao et al., Energy and Environmental Science 8, 897 (2015)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Buckley, D.N., Bourke, A., Lynch, R.P. et al. Influence of Pretreatment on Kinetics at Carbon Electrodes and Consequences for Flow Battery Performance. MRS Advances 2, 1131–1142 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2017.176
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2017.176