SUSCHEM: Aquous organic redox chemistry for renewal energy storage

PI：Michael J.AzizProposal编号：1509041随着越来越多的风能和太阳能被利用来发电，这些供应的间歇性要求部署电能存储容量来稳定电网。现有的储存大量电力的技术要么过于昂贵，要么最终受到其他因素的限制，例如地理位置，或者缺乏大规模制造储能系统所需的关键材料。氧化还原液流电池是一种很有前途的存储大量电能的新技术，但面临着许多技术挑战，包括使用昂贵或稀有的材料，用作电解液的有机溶剂的易燃性，以及电化学储能容量低。该项目的目标是开发一种用于氧化还原液流电池的新电解液，该电解液基于称为苯醌的有机化合物，这些化合物以水为溶剂。这种电解液具有潜在的廉价、无腐蚀性、无毒和不可燃的特点。这项拟议的研究将设计苯二酚分子以提高电化学储能能力，并加深对其潜在电化学过程的基本了解。作为该项目教育活动的一部分，将为波士顿科学博物馆提供的公共项目开发关于节能和可再生能源主题的互动演示和演示。该项目将探索基于水对苯二酚的氧化还原液流电池的新电解液。一些对苯二酚和类似的分子是无毒的，有可能提高电化学储能能力，避免酸腐蚀，并降低基于易燃性的有机溶剂消除的可能性。在中性和碱性溶液中，某些对苯二酚发生可逆的两电子过程，但人们对这些过程知之甚少。由于双电子还原存储的能量是单电子还原的两倍，因此假设使用水对苯二酚作为电解液可以提高氧化还原液流电池的电化学存储容量。本研究的目的是以对苯二酚及其类似分子的质子转移过程的分子设计为指导，通过对苯二酚的取代基修饰，对其在碱性介质中的两电子还原过程有一个基本的认识。分子间和分子内氢键的作用，以及与电解质阳离子和阴离子的相互作用，在实现双电子还原过程中的作用将被阐明。进一步的研究将阐明分子几何结构、取代基和电子结构对这一过程的电化学行为的作用。研究结果可能会为氧化还原液流电池提供新的电解液系统，这些系统比现有的基于电化学的海量存储应用系统更高效、成本更低、更安全。此外，还将为波士顿科学博物馆开发基于PI实验室的氧化还原液流电池的互动演示。

PI: Michael J. AzizProposal Number: 1509041As more wind and solar energy sources are harnessed to generate electricity, the intermittent nature of these supplies requires the deployment of electrical energy storage capacity to stabilize the grid. Existing technologies for storing vast amounts of electricity are either too expensive or ultimately limited by other factors, such as geographic location, or the lack of critical materials needed for large-scale manufacture of energy storage systems. Redox flow batteries are a promising new technology for storing large amounts of electricity as electrochemical energy, but suffer from many technical challenges, including use of expensive or rare materials, flammability of organic solvents used as electrolytes, and low electrochemical energy storage capacity. The goal of this project is to develop a new electrolyte for redox flow batteries based on organic compounds called quinones that are dissolved in water as the solvent. This electrolyte is potentially inexpensive, noncorrosive, nontoxic, and nonflammable. The proposed research will design quinone molecules to improve electrochemical energy storage capacity, and develop fundamental understanding of their underlying electrochemical processes. As part of the educational activities of this project, interactive presentations and demonstrations on energy conservation and renewable energy topics will be developed for the public programs offered through the Boston Museum of Science.This project will explore new electrolytes for redox flow batteries based on aqueous quinones. Some quinones and comparable molecules are nontoxic and have the potential to improve electrochemical energy storage capacity, avoid acid corrosion, and reduce the potential for flammability based elimination of organic solvents. In neutral and basic solution, certain quinones undergo reversible two-electron processes, but these processes are poorly understood. Since two-electron reduction stores twice the energy of single-electron reduction, it is hypothesized that the use of aqueous quinones as electrolytes could improve electrochemical storage capacity for redox flow battery applications. The goal of the research is to develop a fundamental understanding of two-electron reduction process by quinones and comparable molecules in alkaline medium through substituent modification of quinones guided by molecular design of their proton transfer processes. The roles of intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonding, as well as interactions with electrolyte cations and anions, in enabling two-electron reduction processes will be elucidated. Further studies will clarify the role of molecular geometry, substituent groups, and electronic structure on the electrochemical behavior of this process. The research outcomes could suggest new electrolyte systems for redox flow batteries which are more efficient, cost less, and are safer than existing systems for electrochemical-based mass storage applications. Furthermore, an interactive demonstration based on a redox flow battery from the PI's laboratory will be developed for the Boston Museum of Science.