LEAPS-MPS: CAS: What Makes Flow Batteries Fail? Establishing 'Stress Test' Protocols for Accelerated Characterization of New Chemistries

在该项目中，由化学部门管理，并与刺激竞争研究的建立计划（EPSCoR）联合资助，新墨西哥矿业与技术研究所（NMT）的Nicolas Holubowitch教授和他的学生将研究导致用于电网规模储能的氧化还原液流电池退化的机制。该项目旨在通过各种举措来扩大NMT化学研究生课程的形象，这些举措旨在利用其地理位置和获取不同的人口统计数据。更广泛的影响举措包括(1)一个新的电化学和计算化学专题研究生课程填补目前课程的空白；(2)为本科生提供stem相关活动和研究生教育/就业机会速成班；(3)组织各种活动、社交聚会和研究研讨会，在我们的研究生项目中建立社区意识，并将其影响范围扩大到社区。Holubowitch教授将深入了解限制新兴可持续氧化还原液流电池性能和寿命的过程和环境因素。该项目将对两种新一代RFB活性化合物（viologens和nitroxyl自由基）的最先进电解质进行系统控制，包括pH值、浓度、微量氧和温度波动。化学和性能退化将在原位和非原位研究中相互关联，允许RFB配置的参数空间及其环境敏感性以高分辨率绘制。将建立一个公共数据库RFBrxiv.org，供社区报告、比较和讨论结果。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

In this project, which is managed by the Chemistry Division and funded jointly with the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), Professor Nicolas Holubowitch and his students at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT) will investigate mechanisms leading to the degradation of redox flow batteries for grid-scale energy storage. The project seeks to broaden the profile of NMT Chemistry’s graduate program through a variety of initiatives meant to leverage their geographic location and access to diverse demographics. Broader impact initiatives include (1) a new electrochemistry and computational chemistry Special Topics graduate course filling in gaps in the current curriculum; (2) focused STEM-related activities and a crash course on post-graduate education/career opportunities for undergraduate students; and (3) organization of various events, social gatherings and research symposia that establish a sense of community within our graduate program and extend their reach to the community.Professor Holubowitch will establish a deep understanding of processes and environmental factors responsible for limiting the performance and lifetime of emerging sustainable redox flow battery chemistries. The project will subject state-of-the-art electrolytes from two next-gen RFB classes of active compounds, viologens and nitroxyl radicals, to systematically controlled conditions: pH, concentration, trace oxygen, and temperature fluctuations. Chemical and performance degradation will be correlated across in situ and ex situ studies, allowing the parameter space for RFB configurations and their environmental susceptibility to be mapped with high resolution. A public database, RFBrxiv.org, will be established for the community to report, compare, and discuss results.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.