title: A dication cross-linked composite anion-exchange membrane for all-vanadium flow battery applications.
abstract: We report the fabrication and properties of a high-performance, inexpensive, composite, anion-exchange membrane (AEM) for an all-vanadium flow battery (VFB) application. The AEM was fabricated by dication cross-linking without the involvement of trimethylamine, and shows well-balanced anion conductivity and robustness due to imidazolium and imidazolium-ammonium functionalities, as well as a concomitantly achieved semi-interpenetrating network structure. The VFB single cell yielded a Coulombic efficiency of 99 % and an energy efficiency of 84 % at 80 mA cm(-2) , and operated for over 900 charge/discharge cycles. This work demonstrates the combined use of several favorable AEM design rationales, such as incorporating abundant and efficient anion-exchange groups, constructing a swelling- and oxidation-resistant structure, and facile fabrication; it provides an effective way of developing high-performance, low-cost AEMs for VFB applications.
authors.affiliation: Center for Energy Storage Technologies, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 457 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, 116023 (PR China). zhfx2003@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Fengxiang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huamin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qu
mesh_terms: D055119:Elastic Modulus; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D007474:Ion Exchange; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry; D013450:Sulfones / Q000737:chemistry; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014639:Vanadium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D011108:Polymers; D011145:Polyvinyls; D013450:Sulfones; D014639:Vanadium; C024865:polyvinylidene fluoride; D005465:Fluorocarbon Polymers; C017662:polysulfone P 1700
keywords: anion exchange; electrochemistry; membranes; synthesis design; vanadium batteries