A Phosphonate‐Functionalized Quinone Redox Flow Battery at Near‐Neutral pH with Record Capacity Retention Rate

A highly stable phosphonate‐functionalized anthraquinone is introduced as the redox‐active material in a negative potential electrolyte (negolyte) for aqueous redox flow batteries operating at nearly neutral pH. The design and synthesis of 2,6‐DPPEAQ, (((9,10‐dioxo‐9,10‐dihydroanthracene‐2,6‐diyl)bis(oxy))bis(propane‐3,1‐diyl))bis(phosphonic acid), which has a high solubility at pH 9 and above, is described. Chemical stability studies demonstrate high stability at both pH 9 and 12. By pairing 2,6‐DPPEAQ with a potassium ferri/ferrocyanide positive electrolyte across an inexpensive, nonfluorinated permselective polymer membrane, this near‐neutral quinone flow battery exhibits an open‐circuit voltage of 1.0 V and a capacity fade rate of 0.00036% per cycle and 0.014% per day, which is the lowest ever reported for any flow battery in the absence of rebalancing processes. It is further demonstrated that the negolyte pH drifts upward upon atmospheric oxygen penetration but, when oxygen is excluded, oscillates reversibly between 9 and 12 during cycling. These results enhance the suitability of aqueous‐soluble redox‐active organics for use in large‐scale energy storage, potentially enabling massive penetration of intermittent renewable electricity.     

A Total Organic Aqueous Redox Flow Battery Employing a Low Cost and Sustainable Methyl Viologen Anolyte and 4‐HO‐TEMPO Catholyte

Increasing worldwide energy demands and rising CO₂ emissions have motivated a search for new technologies to take advantage of renewables such as solar and wind energies. Redox flow batteries (RFBs) with their high power density, high energy efficiency, scalability (up to MW and MWh), and safety features are one suitable option for integrating such energy sources and overcoming their intermittency. However, resource limitation and high system costs of current RFB technologies impede wide implementation. Here, a total organic aqueous redox flow battery (OARFB) is reported, using low‐cost and sustainable methyl viologen (MV, anolyte) and 4‐hydroxy‐2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidin‐1‐oxyl (4‐HO‐TEMPO, catholyte), and benign NaCl supporting electrolyte. The electrochemical properties of the organic redox active materials are studied using cyclic voltammetry and rotating disk electrode voltammetry. The MV/4‐HO‐TEMPO ARFB has an exceptionally high cell voltage, 1.25 V. Prototypes of the organic ARFB can be operated at high current densities ranging from 20 to 100 mA cm², and deliver stable capacity for 100 cycles with nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency. The MV/4‐HO‐TEMPO ARFB displays attractive technical merits and thus represents a major advance in ARFBs.     

A Stable Vanadium Redox‐Flow Battery with High Energy Density for Large‐Scale Energy Storage

The all‐vanadium redox flow battery is a promising technology for large‐scale renewable and grid energy storage, but is limited by the low energy density and poor stability of the vanadium electrolyte solutions. A new vanadium redox flow battery with a significant improvement over the current technology is reported in this paper. This battery uses sulfate‐chloride mixed electrolytes, which are capable of dissolving 2.5 M vanadium, representing about a 70% increase in energy capacity over the current sulfate system. More importantly, the new electrolyte remains stable over a wide temperature range of ?5 to 50 °C, potentially eliminating the need for electrolyte temperature control in practical applications. This development would lead to a significant reduction in the cost of energy storage, thus accelerating its market penetration.     

A New Fe/V Redox Flow Battery Using a Sulfuric/Chloric Mixed‐Acid Supporting Electrolyte

A redox flow battery using Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ and V²⁺/V³⁺ redox couples in chloric/sulfuric mixed‐acid supporting electrolyte is investigated for potential stationary energy storage applications. The Fe/V redox flow cell using mixed reactant solutions operates within a voltage window of 0.5–1.35 V with a nearly 100% utilization ratio and demonstrates stable cycling over 100 cycles with energy efficiency >80% and no capacity fading at room temperature. A 25% improvement in the discharge energy density of the Fe/V cell is achieved compared with a previously reported Fe/V cell using a pure chloride acid supporting electrolyte. Stable performance is achieved in the temperature range between 0 and 50 °C as well as when using a microporous separator as the membrane. The improved electrochemical performance makes the Fe/V redox flow battery a promising option as a stationary energy storage device to enable renewable integration and stabilization of the electric grid.     

A High Voltage Aqueous Zinc–Organic Hybrid Flow Battery

Water‐soluble redox‐active organic molecules have attracted extensive attention as electrical energy storage alternatives to redox‐active metals that are low in abundance and high in cost. Here an aqueous zinc–organic hybrid redox flow battery (RFB) is reported with a positive electrolyte comprising a functionalized 1,4‐hydroquinone bearing four (dimethylamino)methyl groups dissolved in sulfuric acid. By utilizing a three‐electrolyte, two‐membrane configuration this acidic positive electrolyte is effectively paired with an alkaline negative electrolyte comprising a Zn/[Zn(OH)₄]^2? redox couple and a hybrid RFB is operated at a high operating voltage of 2.0 V. It is shown that the electrochemical reversibility and kinetics of the organic redox species can be enhanced by an electrocatalyst, leading to a cyclic voltammetry peak separation as low as 35 mV and enabling an enhanced rate capability.     

Towards High‐Performance Nonaqueous Redox Flow Electrolyte Via Ionic Modification of Active Species

Nonaqueous redox flow batteries are emerging flow‐based energy storage technologies that have the potential for higher energy densities than their aqueous counterparts because of their wider voltage windows. However, their performance has lagged far behind their inherent capability due to one major limitation of low solubility of the redox species. Here, a molecular structure engineering strategy towards high performance nonaqueous electrolyte is reported with significantly increased solubility. Its performance outweighs that of the state‐of‐the‐art nonaqueous redox flow batteries. In particular, an ionic‐derivatized ferrocene compound is designed and synthesized that has more than 20 times increased solubility in the supporting electrolyte. The solvation chemistry of the modified ferrocene compound. Electrochemical cycling testing in a hybrid lithium–organic redox flow battery using the as‐synthesized ionic‐derivatized ferrocene as the catholyte active material demonstrates that the incorporation of the ionic‐charged pendant significantly improves the system energy density. When coupled with a lithium‐graphite hybrid anode, the hybrid flow battery exhibits a cell voltage of 3.49 V, energy density about 50 Wh L^?1, and energy efficiency over 75%. These results reveal a generic design route towards high performance nonaqueous electrolyte by rational functionalization of the organic redox species with selective ligand.     

A High Energy Density Aqueous Battery Achieved by Dual Dissolution/Deposition Reactions Separated in Acid‐Alkaline Electrolyte

Aqueous batteries are facing big challenges in the context of low working voltages and energy density, which are dictated by the narrow electrochemical window of aqueous electrolytes and low specific capacities of traditional intercalation‐type electrodes, even though they usually represent high safety, low cost, and simple maintenance. For the first time, this work demonstrates a record high‐energy‐density (1503 Wh kg^?1 calculated from the cathode active material) aqueous battery system that derives from a novel electrolyte design to expand the electrochemical window of electrolyte to 3 V and two high‐specific‐capacity electrode reactions. An acid‐alkaline dual electrolyte separated by an ion‐selective membrane enables two dissolution/deposition electrode redox reactions of MnO₂/Mn²⁺ and Zn/Zn(OH)₄^2? with theoretical specific capacities of 616 and 820 mAh g^?1, respectively. The newly proposed Zn–Mn²⁺ aqueous battery shows a high Coulombic efficiency of 98.4% and cycling stability of 97.5% of discharge capacity retention for 1500 cycles. Furthermore, in the flow battery based on Zn–Mn²⁺ pairs, more excellent stability of 99.5% of discharge capacity retention for 6000 cycles is achieved due to greatly improved reversibility of the Zn anode. This work provides a new path for the development of novel aqueous batteries with high voltage and energy density.     

High‐Performance Aqueous Rechargeable Li‐Ni Battery Based on Ni(OH)2/NiOOH Redox Couple with High Voltage

New energy storage and conversion systems require large‐scale, cost‐effective, good safety, high reliability, and high energy density. This study demonstrates a low‐cost and safe aqueous rechargeable lithium‐nickel (Li‐Ni) battery with solid state Ni(OH)₂/NiOOH redox couple as cathode and hybrid electrolytes separated by a Li‐ion‐conductive solid electrolyte layer. The proposed aqueous rechargeable Li‐Ni battery exhibits an approximately open‐circuit potential of 3.5 V, outperforming the theoretic stable window of water 1.23 V, and its energy density can be 912.6 W h kg^‐1, which is much higher than that of state‐of‐the‐art lithium ion batteries. The use of a solid‐state redox couple as cathode with a metallic lithium anode provides another postlithium chemistry for practical energy storage and conversion.     

An All‐Organic Non‐aqueous Lithium‐Ion Redox Flow Battery

A non‐aqueous lithium‐ion redox flow battery employing organic molecules is proposed and investigated. 2,5‐Di‐tert‐butyl‐1,4‐bis(2‐methoxyethoxy)benzene and a variety of molecules derived from quinoxaline are employed as initial high‐potential and low‐potential active materials, respectively. Electrochemical measurements highlight that the choice of electrolyte and of substituent groups can have a significant impact on redox species performance. The charge‐discharge characteristics are investigated in a modified coin‐cell configuration. After an initial break‐in period, coulombic and energy efficiencies for this unoptimized system are ～70% and ～37%, respectively, with major charge and discharge plateaus between 1.8‐2.4 V and 1.7‐1.3 V, respectively, for 30 cycles. Performance enhancements are expected with improvements in cell design and materials processing.     

Na3V2(PO4)3 as the Sole Solid Energy Storage Material for Redox Flow Sodium‐Ion Battery

Redox flow batteries have considerable advantages of system scalability and operation flexibility over other battery technologies, which makes them promising for large‐scale energy storage application. However, they suffer from low energy density and consequently relatively high cost for a nominal energy output. Redox targeting–based flow batteries are employed by incorporating solid energy storage materials in the tank and present energy density far beyond the solubility limit of the electrolytes. The success of this concept relies on paring suitable redox mediators with solid materials for facilitated reaction kinetics and lean electrolyte composition. Here, a redox targeting‐based flow battery system using the NASICON‐type Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃ as a capacity booster for both the catholyte and anolyte is reported. With 10‐methylphenothiazine as the cathodic redox mediator and 9‐fluorenone as anodic redox mediator, an all‐organic single molecule redox targeting–based flow battery is developed. The anodic and cathodic capacity are 3 and 17 times higher than the solubility limit of respective electrolyte, with which a full cell can achieve an energy density up to 88 Wh L^?1. The reaction mechanism is scrutinized by operando and in‐situ X‐ray and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. The reaction kinetics are analysed in terms of Butler–Volmer formalism.     

A High‐Energy‐Density Multiple Redox Semi‐Solid‐Liquid Flow Battery

A new concept of multiple redox semi‐solid‐liquid (MRSSL) flow battery that takes advantage of active materials in both liquid and solid phases, is proposed and demonstrated. Liquid lithium iodide (LiI) electrolyte and solid sulfur/carbon (S/C) composite, forming LiI‐S/C MRSSL catholyte, are employed to demonstrate this concept. Record volumetric capacity (550 Ah L^?1_catholyte) is achieved using highly concentrated and synergistic multiple redox reactions of LiI and sulfur. The liquid LiI electrolyte is found to increase the reversible volumetric capacity of the catholyte, improve the electrochemical utilization of the S/C composite, and reduce the viscosity of catholyte. A continuous flow test is demonstrated and the influence of the flow rate on the flow battery performance is discussed. The MRSSL flow battery concept transforms inactive component into bi‐functional active species and creates synergistic interactions between multiple redox couples, offering a new direction and wide‐open opportunities to develop high‐energy‐density flow batteries.     

Toward a Reversible Mn4+/Mn2+ Redox Reaction and Dendrite‐Free Zn Anode in Near‐Neutral Aqueous Zn/MnO2 Batteries via Salt Anion Chemistry

Rechargeable aqueous Zn/MnO₂ batteries are very attractive large‐scale energy storage technologies, but still suffer from limited cycle life and low capacity. Here the novel adoption of a near‐neutral acetate‐based electrolyte (pH ≈ 6) is presented to promote the two‐electron Mn⁴⁺/Mn²⁺ redox reaction and simultaneously enable a stable Zn anode. The acetate anion triggers a highly reversible MnO₂/Mn²⁺ reaction, which ensures high capacity and avoids the issue of structural collapse of MnO₂. Meanwhile, the anode‐friendly electrolyte enables a dendrite‐free Zn anode with outstanding stability and high plating/stripping Coulombic efficiency (99.8%). Hence, a high capacity of 556 mA h g^?1, a lifetime of 4000 cycles without decay, and excellent rate capability up to 70 mA cm^?2 are demonstated in this new near‐neutral aqueous Zn/MnO₂ battery by simply manipulating the salt anion in the electrolyte. The acetate anion not only modifies the surface properties of MnO₂ cathode but also creates a highly compatible environment for the Zn anode. This work provides a new opportunity for developing high‐performance Zn/MnO₂ and other aqueous batteries based on the salt anion chemistry.     

Nonwoven rGO Fiber‐Aramid Separator for High‐Speed Charging and Discharging of Li Metal Anode

Li metal, which has a high theoretical specific capacity and low redox potential, is considered to the most promising anode material for next‐generation Li ion‐based batteries. However, it also exhibits a disadvantageous solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer problem that needs to be resolved. Herein, an advanced separator composed of reduced graphene oxide fiber attached to aramid paper (rGOF‐A) is introduced. When rGOF‐A is applied, F^? anions, generated from the decomposition of the LiPF₆ electrolyte during the SEI layer formation process form semi‐ionic C? F bonds along the surface of rGOF. As Li⁺ ions are plated, the “F‐doped” rGO surface induces the formation of LiF, which is known as a component of a chemically stable SEI, therefore it helps the Li metal anode to operate stably at a high current of 20 mA cm^?2 with a high capacity of 20 mAh cm^?2. The proposed rGOF‐A separator successfully achieves a stable SEI layer that could resolve the interfacial issues of the Li metal anode.     

Membrane‐Free Zn/MnO2 Flow Battery for Large‐Scale Energy Storage

The traditional Zn/MnO₂ battery has attracted great interest due to its low cost, high safety, high output voltage, and environmental friendliness. However, it remains a big challenge to achieve long‐term stability, mainly owing to the poor reversibility of the cathode reaction. Different from previous studies where the cathode redox reaction of MnO₂/MnOOH is in solid state with limited reversibility, here a new aqueous rechargeable Zn/MnO₂ flow battery is constructed with dissolution–precipitation reactions in both cathodes (Mn²⁺/MnO₂) and anodes (Zn²⁺/Zn), which allow mixing of anolyte and catholyte into only one electrolyte and remove the requirement for an ion selective membrane for cost reduction. Impressively, this new battery exhibits a high discharge voltage of ≈1.78 V, good rate capability (10C discharge), and excellent cycling stability (1000 cycles without decay) at the areal capacity ranging from 0.5 to 2 mAh cm^‐2. More importantly, this battery can be readily enlarged to a bench scale flow cell of 1.2 Ah with good capacity retention of 89.7% at the 500th cycle, displaying great potential for large‐scale energy storage.     

High‐Energy Aqueous Lithium Batteries

Owing to the high voltage of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs), the dominating electrolyte is non‐aqueous. The idea of an aqueous rechargeable lithium battery (ARLB) dates back to 1994, but it had attracted little attention due to the narrow stable potential window of aqueous electrolytes, which results in low energy density. However, aqueous electrolytes were employed during the 2000s for the fundamental studies of electrode materials in the absence of side reactions such as the decomposition of organic species. The high solubility of lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) in water has introduced new opportunities for high‐voltage ARLBs. Nonetheless, these ideas are somehow overshadowed by the common perception about the essential limitation of the aqueous electrolyte. The electrochemical behaviour of conventional electrode materials can be substantially tuned in the water‐in‐salt electrolytes. The latest idea of utilising a graphite anode in the aqueous water‐in‐salt electrolytes has paved the way towards not only 4‐V ARLB but also a new generation of Li?S batteries with a higher operating voltage and energy efficiency. Furthermore, aqueous electrolytes can provide a cathodically stable environment for Li?O₂ batteries. The present paper aims to highlight these emerging opportunities possibly leading to a new generation of LIBs, which can be substantially cheaper and safer.     

The Charge Storage Mechanisms of 2D Cation‐Intercalated Manganese Oxide in Different Electrolytes

2D ion‐intercalated metal oxides are emerging promising new electrodes for supercapacitors because of their unique layered structure as well as distinctive electronic properties. To facilitate their application, fundamental study of the charge storage mechanism is required. Herein, it is demonstrated that the application of in situ Raman spectroscopy and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (EQCM‐D), provides a sufficient basis to elucidate the charge storage mechanism in a typical 2D cation‐intercalated manganese oxide (Na_0.55Mn₂O₄·1.5H₂O, abbreviated as NMO) in neutral and alkaline aqueous electrolytes. The results reveal that in neutral Na₂SO₄ electrolytes, NMO mainly displays a surface‐controlled pseudocapacitive behavior in the low potential region (0–0.8 V), but when the potential is higher than 0.8 V, an intercalation pseudocapacitive behavior becomes dominant. By contrast, NMO shows a battery‐like behavior associated with OH^? ions in alkaline NaOH electrolyte. This study verifies that the charge storage mechanism of NMO strongly depends on the type of electrolyte, and even in the same electrolyte, different charging behaviors are revealed in different potential ranges which should be carefully taken into account when optimizing the use of the electrode materials in practical energy‐storage devices.     

Alkaline Benzoquinone Aqueous Flow Battery for Large‐Scale Storage of Electrical Energy

An aqueous flow battery based on low‐cost, nonflammable, noncorrosive, and earth‐abundant elements is introduced. During charging, electrons are stored in a concentrated water solution of 2,5‐dihydroxy‐1,4‐benzoquinone, which rapidly receives electrons with inexpensive carbon electrodes without the assistance of any metal electrocatalyst. Electrons are withdrawn from a second water solution of a food additive, potassium ferrocyanide. When these two solutions flow along opposite sides of a cation‐conducting membrane, this flow battery delivers a cell potential of 1.21 V, a peak galvanic power density of 300 mW cm^?2, and a coulombic efficiency exceeding 99%. Continuous cell cycling at 100 mA cm^?2 shows a capacity retention rate of 99.76% cycle^?1 over 150 cycles. Various molecular modifications involving substitution for hydrogens on the aryl ring are implemented to block decomposition by nucleophilic attack of hydroxide ions. These modifications result in increased capacity retention rates of up to 99.96% cycle^?1 over 400 consecutive cycles, accompanied by changes in voltage, solubility, kinetics, and cell resistance. Quantum chemistry calculations of a large number of organic compounds predict a number of related structures that should have even higher performance and stability. Flow batteries based on alkaline‐soluble dihydroxybenzoquinones and derivatives are promising candidates for large‐scale, stationary storage of electrical energy.     

Achieving High‐Voltage and High‐Capacity Aqueous Rechargeable Zinc Ion Battery by Incorporating Two‐Species Redox Reaction

Herein, a two‐species redox reaction of Co(II)/Co(III) and Fe(II)/Fe(III) incorporated in cobalt hexacyanoferrate (CoFe(CN)6) is proposed as a breakthrough to achieve jointly high‐capacity and high‐voltage aqueous Zn‐ion battery. The Zn/CoFe(CN)₆ battery provides a highly operational voltage plateau of 1.75 V (vs metallic Zn) and a high capacity of 173.4 mAh g^?1 at current density of 0.3 A g^?1, taking advantage of the two‐species redox reaction of Co(II)/Co(III) and Fe(II)/Fe(III) couples. Even under extremely fast charge/discharge rate of 6 A g^?1, the battery delivers a sufficiently high discharge capacity of 109.5 mAh g^?1 with its 3D opened structure framework. This is the highest capacity delivered among all the batteries using Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) cathode up to now. Furthermore, Zn/CoFe(CN)₆ battery achieves an excellent cycling performance of 2200 cycles without any capacity decay at coulombic efficiency of nearly 100%. One further step, a sol–gel transition strategy for hydrogel electrolyte is developed to construct high‐performance flexible cable‐type battery. With the strategy, the active materials can adequately contact with electrolyte, resulting in improved electrochemical performance (≈18.73% capacity increase) and mechanical robustness of the solid‐state device. It is believed that this study optimizes electrodes by incorporating multi redox reaction species for high‐voltage and high‐capacity batteries.     

Dual Anion–Cation Reversible Insertion in a Bipyridinium–Diamide Triad as the Negative Electrode for Aqueous Batteries

Aqueous batteries are an emerging candidate for low‐cost and environmentally friendly grid storage systems. Designing such batteries from inexpensive, abundant, recyclable, and nontoxic organic active materials provides a logical step toward improving both the environmental and economic impact of these systems. Herein the first ever battery material that works with simultaneous uptake and release of both cations and anions is proposed by coupling p‐type (bipyridinium) and n‐type (naphthalene diimide) redox moieties. It represents one of a new family of electrode materials which demonstrates an optimal oxidation potential (?0.47 V vs saturated calomel electrode), extremely fast kinetics, a highly competitive capacity (63 mA h g^?1 at 4C), and cyclability in both neutral Na⁺ and Mg²⁺ electrolytes of molar range concentration. Through a combination of UV–vis spectroelectrochemistry, electrochemical quartz‐crystal microbalance, Operando synchrotron‐X‐ray diffraction, and density functional theory calculations a novel dual cation/anion insertion mechanism was proven and rationalized. Based on these findings, this innovative p/n‐type product may well provide a viable option for use as a negative electrode material, thereby promoting the design of cutting‐edge, low‐cost, rocking‐chair dual‐ion aqueous batteries.     

A Flexible Solid‐State Aqueous Zinc Hybrid Battery with Flat and High‐Voltage Discharge Plateau

The migration of zinc‐ion batteries from alkaline electrolyte to neutral or mild acidic electrolyte promotes research into their flexible applications. However, discharge voltage of many reported zinc‐ion batteries is far from satisfactory. On one hand, the battery voltage is substantially restricted by the narrow voltage window of aqueous electrolytes. On the other hand, many batteries yield a low‐voltage discharge plateau or show no plateau but capacitor‐like sloping discharge profiles. This impacts the battery's practicability for flexible electronics where stable and consistent high energy is needed. Herein, an aqueous zinc hybrid battery based on a highly concentrated dual‐ion electrolyte and a hierarchically structured lithium‐ion‐intercalative LiVPO₄F cathode is developed. This hybrid battery delivers a flat and high‐voltage discharge plateau of nearly 1.9 V, ranking among the highest reported values for all aqueous zinc‐based batteries. The resultant high energy density of 235.6 Wh kg^?1 at a power density of 320.8 W kg^?1 also outperforms most reported zinc‐based batteries. A designed solid‐state and long‐lasting hydrogel electrolyte is subsequently applied in the fabrication of a flexible battery, which can be integrated into various flexible devices as powerful energy supply. The idea of designing such a hybrid battery offers a new strategy for developing high‐voltage and high‐energy aqueous energy storage systems.