Renewable energy storage uses zinc-cerium oxidation to release electricity
Scientists in Hong Kong have designed a battery made of zinc and cerium. They claim to have resolved the incompatibility problem caused by these two elements. The unit achieved an average efficiency of 94% during cycling.
Researchers at the City University of Hong Kong have developed a battery based on zinc (Zn) and cerium (Ce), which they claim could be an ideal solution for renewable energy storage due to the flexibility of its design.
"Zinc-cerium flow batteries have the advantages of moderate cost and high energy density, but low efficiency," the researcher said in an interview. Therefore, we propose a new battery design to improve its efficiency and stability."
The cell has two membranes that separate incompatible ions from the two electrolytes. Scientists separate incompatible ions while customizing charge carriers for those compatible with the electrolyte. In addition, the design can achieve high and stable efficiency while protecting the zinc half cell from hydrogen ion poisoning.
Ce electrolyte is highly oxidized, which poses a challenge to the stability of anionic membrane. Therefore, the stability and selectivity of anionic membrane need to be further improved.
"We conclude that zinc electrolytes with highly reversible galvanizing/zinc extraction and inhibition of hydrogen evolution form the basis for high efficiency," the scientists said.
"The flexibility of the system design and the advantages of security will open up many opportunities for development. Such cells can be easily scaled up to meet the diverse needs of solar energy storage." These storage systems are promising due to the low cost and abundance of zinc. However, metal zinc deposition presents new challenges, such as the limited electrode space for zinc deposition, the actual energy density is reduced compared to the theoretical energy density, and zinc dendrites may penetrate the membrane."
"This work addresses the incompatibility problem by designing a dual-film Zn-Ce RFB that demonstrates stable and repeatable cycling performance, thereby restoring the potential of Zn-Ce RFB as a high-power density rechargeable battery," the scientists said.
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