Towards higher energy density redox-flow batteries: imidazolium ionic liquid for Zn electrochemistry in flow environment

Kalani Periyapperuma, Yafei Zhang, Douglas R. Macfarlane, Maria Forsyth, Cristina Pozo-Gonzalo, Patrick C Howlett

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We present the first demonstration of an ionic liquid electrolyte under a realistic flow environment for applications in redox-flow batteries based on the Zn2+/Zn0 redox couple. An electrolyte mixture containing Zn(dca)2 and 3wt% H2O in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide, [Emim][dca], ionic liquid was used to study the effects of Zn2+ concentration and flow rate on the Zn2+/Zn0 electrochemical performance as well as its impact on the morphology of the Zn deposit. An optimized Zn2+ concentration and flow rate were determined by using an in-house-designed 3D-printed flow-cell prototype. Surface characterization through SEM revealed that both the concentration and flow rate directly impact Zn morphology under flow conditions. The electrolyte mixture with a higher Zn(dca)2 concentration (18mol%) showed favourable results; voltammetry showed higher peak current densities (100mA/cm2 discharge current density) and more positive Zn electrodeposition potentials (-1.33V vs Ag/AgOTf) coupled with higher cycling efficiency (45±3%) compared to those obtained with the lower Zn concentration system (9mol%, -1.44V vs Ag/AgOTf, 48mA/cm2 discharge current density and 33±3% cycling efficiency).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1051-1058
Number of pages9
JournalChemElectroChem
Volume4
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2017

Keywords

  • Flow conditions
  • Flow rate
  • Morphology
  • Redox flow
  • Zinc

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  • ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science

    Wallace, G. G. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Forsyth, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Macfarlane, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Officer, D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Cook, M. J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Dodds, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Spinks, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Alici, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Moulton, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), in het Panhuis, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kapsa, R. M. I. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Higgins, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Mozer, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Crook, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Innis, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Coote, M. L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wang, X. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Howlett, P. C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Pringle, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Hancock, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Paull, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Sparrow, R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Zhang, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Spiccia, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Diamond, D. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Guldi, D. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Kim, S. J. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Unwin, P. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Watanabe, M. (Partner Investigator (PI))

    Australian Research Council (ARC)

    30/06/14 → 30/06/21

    Project: Research

  • ARC Centre of Excellence - Australian Centre for Electromaterials Science. CE0561616

    Macfarlane, D. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Alici, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Brown, H. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Cheng, Y. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Dodds, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Forsyth, M. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Innis, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kane-Maguire, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Keller, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Liu, H. K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Price, W. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Spiccia, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Spinks, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Too, C. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Wallace, G. G. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Zhang, J. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Clark, G. M. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Kapsa, R. M. I. (Partner Investigator (PI)), Minett, A. (Partner Investigator (PI)) & Officer, D. (Partner Investigator (PI))

    Australian Research Council (ARC), Monash University

    1/01/05 → 31/12/09

    Project: Research

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