Review

Membrane Development for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries

  1. Dr. Birgit Schwenzer1,*,
  2. Dr. Jianlu Zhang2,
  3. Dr. Soowhan Kim1,
  4. Dr. Liyu Li1,
  5. Dr. Jun Liu1,*,
  6. Dr. Zhenguo Yang1,*

Article first published online: 6 OCT 2011

DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201100068

Issue

ChemSusChem

ChemSusChem

Special Issue: Energy Materials

Volume 4, Issue 10, pages 1388–1406, October 17, 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Schwenzer, B., Zhang, J., Kim, S., Li, L., Liu, J. and Yang, Z. (2011), Membrane Development for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries. ChemSusChem, 4: 1388–1406. doi: 10.1002/cssc.201100068

Author Information

  1. 1

    Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352 (USA)

  2. 2

    Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Key Materials and Technology Laboratory, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023 (PR China)

*Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99352 (USA)

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 13 OCT 2011
  2. Article first published online: 6 OCT 2011
  3. Manuscript Revised: 4 MAY 2011
  4. Manuscript Received: 3 FEB 2011

Funded by

  • Office of Electricity (OE Delivery & Energy Reliability, US Department of Energy [DOE]). Grant Number: 57558
  • Battelle Memorial Institute for the Department of Energy. Grant Number: DE-AC05-76RL01830

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Keywords:

  • electrochemistry;
  • energy storage;
  • membranes;
  • materials science;
  • vanadium

Abstract

Large-scale energy storage has become the main bottleneck for increasing the percentage of renewable energy in our electricity grids. Redox flow batteries are considered to be among the best options for electricity storage in the megawatt range and large demonstration systems have already been installed. Although the full technological potential of these systems has not been reached yet, currently the main problem hindering more widespread commercialization is the high cost of redox flow batteries. Nafion, as the preferred membrane material, is responsible for about 11 % of the overall cost of a 1 MW/8 MWh system. Therefore, in recent years two main membrane-related research threads have emerged: 1) chemical and physical modification of Nafion membranes to optimize their properties with regard to vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) application; and 2) replacement of the Nafion membranes with different, less expensive materials. This review summarizes the underlying basic scientific issues associated with membrane use in VRFBs and presents an overview of membrane-related research approaches aimed at improving the efficiency of VRFBs and making the technology cost-competitive. Promising research strategies and materials are identified and suggestions are provided on how materials issues could be overcome.

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