SBIR Phase I: Development of Fire-Safe and Low-Cost Flow Batteries using New Membranes for Long-Duration Energy Storage

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力来自于为住宅建筑提供能源自给自足。防火安全、低成本的氧化还原液流电池，与屋顶太阳能电池板或后院风力涡轮机相结合，可以满足美国家庭日益增长的电力需求，而不需要依赖国家电网。白天，太阳能电池板将太阳能转化为电池中的化学能。晚上，电池将为房屋供电，并为家庭车库中的电动汽车充电。电池在收集和储存住宅用清洁电力方面发挥着关键作用。与锂离子电池相比，液流电池更好的防火性能和更低的生产成本将让房主安心，并让社会更广泛地采用清洁能源。这项SBIR一期项目建议开发新型质子导电聚合物膜，减少金属电解液交叉，并建立首个7kW液流电池系统，满足单户住宅的能源需求。为此，该项目将合成一组具有磷酸侧链的磷酸化聚苯并咪唑(PBI)。这种磷酸基团可以形成独特的磷酸酸锆团簇，这种簇合物可以传输质子，但不会导致金属阳离子的不必要迁移。多氯联苯为磷酸锆团簇提供机械支撑。锆和多溴联苯是散装材料，其成本远远低于商用的全氟磺酸。该项目一期工程的第二项任务是建设一个7kW的铁钛液流电池系统。美国普通独栋住宅的峰值用电需求约为7千瓦。这样的电池将连接到屋顶太阳能系统，以满足居民的电力需求。该团队计划研究各种电池配置设计。特别是，该项目将侧重于检查双极板的溶剂通道对电堆性能的影响。此外，还将彻底调查其他设计参数，如泵的流量和密封材料的选择。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is derived from providing energy self-sufficiency to residential buildings. Fire-safe and low-cost redox flow batteries, combined with rooftop solar panels or backyard wind turbines, can meet the increased electricity needs of American families without relying on the national grid. During the daytime, solar arrays convert solar energy to chemical energy in batteries. During evenings, batteries will power houses and charge electric vehicles in family garages. Batteries play a critical role in harvesting and storing clean electricity for residential uses. Compared with lithium-ion batteries, the improved fire-safety profiles and reduced production costs of flow batteries will give homeowners peace of mind and allow the wider adoption of clean energy by society.This SBIR phase I project proposes to develop novel proton-conductive polymeric membranes that show reduced metal electrolyte crossovers and build the first 7 kW flow battery system that meets the energy need of a single-family house. To this end, the project will synthesize a group of phosphorylated polybenzimidazoles (PBIs) that have a phosphoric acid side chain. Such phosphoric acid groups can form unique zirconium phosphonate clusters that transport protons but deny the unwanted migration of metal cations. PBIs provide mechanical support to the zirconium-phosphate clusters. Zirconium and PBIs are bulk materials that cost significantly less than commercial perfluorosulfonic acids. The second task of this phase I project is to construct a 7 kW iron-titanium redox flow battery system. The peak electricity demand for the average American single-family house is around 7 kW. Such a battery will be connected to a rooftop solar system to meet residential electricity demands. The team plans to study various cell configuration designs. In particular, the project will focus on examining the effects of solvent channels of bipolar plates on the performance of the stack. In addition, other design parameters, such as pump flow rates and the choice of sealant materials, will be thoroughly investigated.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.