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Voltaic/Galvanic Cells

Voltaic/Galvanic Cells

Spontaneous Chemical Reactions
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...

Redox Reactions

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Oxidation-reduction or redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one molecule or atom to another. When an atom gains an electron, another atom must lose an electron, meaning oxidation and reduction must occur together. Since the redox occurs in pairs, the atom that gets oxidized is also called the reducing agent or reductant, and the atom that is reduced is also called the oxidizing agent or oxidant. A straightforward way to remember the definitions of oxidation and reduction is...

Redox Reactions

Redox Reactions

Redox reactions are vital biochemical processes that underpin energy metabolism in cells. These reactions involve the transfer of electrons between molecules, occurring in tandem as oxidation and reduction. Oxidation refers to the loss of electrons, while reduction denotes their gain. This coupling ensures the seamless flow of electrons through metabolic pathways. For example, in bacterial metabolism, glucose undergoes oxidation to carbon dioxide, while oxygen is simultaneously reduced to...

Batteries and Fuel Cells

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A battery is a galvanic cell that is used as a source of electrical power for specific applications. Modern batteries exist in a multitude of forms to accommodate various applications, from tiny button batteries such as those that power wristwatches to the very large batteries used to supply backup energy to municipal power grids. Some batteries are designed for single-use applications and cannot be recharged (primary cells), while others are based on conveniently reversible cell reactions that...

Electrochemical Cells

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Electrochemical cells are systems that convert chemical energy into electrical energy or use electrical energy to drive chemical reactions. They consist of two electrodes in contact with an electrolyte, where redox reactions enable electron transfer. Most electrochemical cells include two half-cells connected by an external wire for electron flow and a salt bridge for ion flow. The salt bridge contains an electrolyte solution and maintains charge neutrality by allowing ions—not electrons—to...

Redox Equilibria: Overview

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A reduction-oxidation reaction is commonly called a redox reaction. In a redox reaction, electrons are transferred from one species to another rather than being shared between or among atoms. The reducing agent or reductant is the species that loses electrons and gets oxidized in the process. The species that gains electrons and gets reduced in the process is the oxidizing agent or oxidant. Redox reactions are represented as two separate equations called half-reactions, where one equation...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

A Protocol for Electrochemical Evaluations and State of Charge Diagnostics of a Symmetric Organic Redox Flow Battery

A Protocol for Electrochemical Evaluations and State of Charge Diagnostics of a Symmetric Organic Redox Flow Battery

Published on: February 13, 2017

Bio-inspired relay catalysis for aqueous redox flow batteries.

Jiafeng Lei¹, Yaqin Zhang², Weixing Wu³

¹Electrochemical Energy and Interfaces Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Nature Communications

|May 27, 2026

Summary

Relay catalysis enhances aqueous redox flow batteries by using sequential catalysts to boost reaction rates and energy efficiency. This strategy improves capacity utilization and battery stability for long-duration energy storage.

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Area of Science:

Electrochemistry
Materials Science
Energy Storage

Background:

Aqueous redox flow batteries are key for long-duration energy storage.
Current designs face challenges with slow reaction kinetics, low energy efficiency, and poor capacity utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce relay catalysis as a universal strategy for high-performance aqueous redox flow batteries.
To overcome the trade-off between overpotential and catalytic rate in energy storage systems.

Main Methods:

Inspired by biological electron transfer, relay catalysis uses a two-step catalytic process.
A low-overpotential catalyst initiates the reaction, followed by a high-activity catalyst.

Main Results:

Demonstrated polysulfide-ferrocyanide flow batteries with near-complete polysulfide utilization (64 Ah L⁻¹).
Achieved high stability over 3 months (>500 cycles) with minimal decay rates.
Extended the relay catalysis strategy to organosulfide- and azo-based batteries.

Conclusions:

Relay catalysis offers a transformative platform for designing advanced flow batteries.
This approach redefines homogeneous catalysis for energy storage, enhancing performance and scalability.