Carbon Materials as Positive Electrodes in Bromine-Based Flow Batteries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Bromine-based redox flow batteries (RFBs) are promising for sustainable energy storage due to bromine's abundance.
• The corrosive nature of bromine necessitates the use of durable and corrosion-resistant electrode materials.
• Carbon materials are advantageous for electrodes due to their conductivity, chemical resistance, and modifiable properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review carbon-based materials for bromine electrodes in RFBs.
• To focus on applications in zinc-bromine, hydrogen-bromine, and polysulphide-bromine RFB systems.
• To provide an overview for designing high-performance bromine electrodes.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of carbon materials for bromine electrodes.
• Analysis of carbon material properties relevant to RFB applications.
• Focus on specific RFB systems: zinc-bromine, hydrogen-bromine, and polysulphide-bromine.

Main Results:

• Carbon materials exhibit excellent electrochemical activity and reversibility for the Br2/Br- couple.
• Properties like low cost, conductivity, and high surface area make carbon ideal for bromine electrodes.
• Review covers diverse applications and identifies areas for further research and development.

Conclusions:

• Carbon-based materials are crucial for developing high-performance bromine electrodes in RFBs.
• Further R&D is needed to optimize carbon materials for enhanced durability and efficiency in various RFB systems.
• This review serves as a guide for selecting and designing advanced carbon materials for bromine RFBs.