A silver-bismuth bimetallic functionalized negative electrode for iron-chromium flow batteries

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Sluggish redox kinetics of chromium ions impede iron-chromium redox flow battery development.
• Efficient energy storage solutions are crucial for renewable energy integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the limitations of chromium ion redox kinetics in iron-chromium redox flow batteries.
• To enhance the electrochemical performance of the negative electrode.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a silver-bismuth bimetallic composite-modified electrode via electrodeposition.
• Electrochemical characterization of the modified electrode.
• Single-cell performance evaluation of the iron-chromium redox flow battery.

Main Results:

• The silver-bismuth modified electrode significantly improved the reversibility and electrochemical activity of the Cr3+/Cr2+ redox reaction.
• Achieved high coulombic, voltage, and energy efficiencies of 95.09%, 82.26%, and 78.22% at 40 mA cm-2.
• Demonstrated a 17% increase in energy efficiency compared to conventional graphite felt electrodes.

Conclusions:

• The silver-bismuth bimetallic composite-modified electrode effectively enhances iron-chromium redox flow battery performance.
• This novel electrode design offers a promising pathway for advancing high-efficiency redox flow battery technology.
• The improved kinetics and efficiency pave the way for more viable grid-scale energy storage solutions.