Nitrogen-Doped Graphite Felt on the Performance of Aqueous Quinone-Based Redox Flow Batteries

Authors

Heng Zhang, State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Li-Xing Xia, State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Shan Jiang, State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Fu-Zhi Wang, State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China
Zhan-Ao Tan, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, ChinaFollow

Corresponding Author

Zhan-Ao Tan(tanzhanao@mail.buct.edu.cn)

Abstract

Modification of electrode is vitally important for achieving high energy efficiency in aqueous quinone-based redox flow batteries (AQRFBs). The modification of graphite felt (GF) was carried out by means of urea hydrothermal reaction, and simultaneously, the effects of hydrothermal reaction time on the functional groups and surface structure of nitrogen-doped graphite felt were studied. The surface morphology and defect, element content and surface chemical state of the modified electrode were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) test, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical performance of the modified electrodes was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and single cell test. These results indicate that the specific surface area, hydrophilicity and conductivity of GF have been improved by nitrogen doping. The nitrogen-doped graphite felt (NGF) demonstrates an outstanding electrochemical catalytic activity and less charge transfer resistance. With the NGF, the battery exhibited 8.0% increase in the energy efficiency of aqueous quinone redox flow batteries at 100 mA·cm^-2.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Nitrogen-doped graphite felt; Energy efficiency; Aqueous quinone-based redox flow batteries; Charge transfer resistance; Hydrophilic

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.13208/j.electrochem.2203231

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Publication Date

2023-12-28

Online Available Date

2022-05-09

Revised Date

2022-05-04

Received Date

2022-03-23

Recommended Citation

Heng Zhang, Li-Xing Xia, Shan Jiang, Fu-Zhi Wang, Zhan-Ao Tan. Nitrogen-Doped Graphite Felt on the Performance of Aqueous Quinone-Based Redox Flow Batteries[J]. Journal of Electrochemistry, 2023 , 29(12): 2203231.
DOI: 10.13208/j.electrochem.2203231
Available at: https://jelectrochem.xmu.edu.cn/journal/vol29/iss12/1