Complexes with Redox Non-Innocent Ligands for Flow Battery Energy Storage

间歇性可再生能源发电的大规模储能是现代社会面临的最大挑战之一。可再生能源电力正在日益取代我们能源需求网络中的化石燃料电力，目前占我们国家电力供应的四分之一。然而，还没有开发出一种低成本的储存不可预测的能量供应以满足需求的方法。氧化还原液流电池是特别适合于电网规模存储的大规模可再充电电池。它们是模块化的，灵活的，固有的安全性，寿命超过20年。特别是，与锂离子等传统电池不同，电力和储能是独立可扩展的。兆瓦时的水电池系统已在全球范围内安装，以支持风能和太阳能发电场，但价格昂贵且不可持续，通常成本是可行能源存储目标价值的三倍。为了确保液流电池储能成本的真实的降低，有必要对系统的固有化学进行大修。需要一种方法，其中复合物的设计目标是提供特定的性能，并由可持续的低成本材料组成。本研究的目的是确定，合成和评估的配合物，利用更高的电压和合理的设计，通过使用非水溶剂提供的机会。此外，该计划提供了与学术界和工业界合作的前景，以便同时开发战略性新化学和流动池工程。氧化还原液流电池是可扩展的技术，因此可以从单个家庭系统（千瓦时规模）到社区和电网规模的网络。这项工作的最终目标是提供负担得起的，可持续的和持久的电能存储，使可再生电力可靠，人人都能获得。

The large-scale energy storage of electricity generated by intermittent renewable sources is one of the greatest challenges faced by modern society. Renewable electricity is increasingly replacing fossil fuel power in our demanding energy network, now accounting for a quarter of our national electrical energy supply. However, a low cost means of storing that unpredictable energy supply to match demand has yet to be developed. Redox flow batteries are large scale rechargeable batteries particularly suited to grid scale storage. They are modular, flexible, inherently safe, and have lifetimes over 20 years. In particular, power and energy storage are independently scalable, unlike traditional batteries such as lithium ion. Megawatt-hour systems of aqueous batteries have been installed globally to support wind and solar farms, yet are expensive and unsustainable, typically costing triple the target value of feasible energy storage. To ensure a real reduction in the cost of flow battery energy storage, an overhaul of the intrinsic chemistry of the system is necessary. An approach is required where complexes are targeted in their design to deliver specific properties, and are comprised of sustainable, low cost materials. The objective of this research is to identify, synthesise and evaluate complexes that exploit the higher voltages and opportunity for rational design offered by using non-aqueous solvents. Furthermore, the programme offers the prospect of working with a network of academics and industry such that the strategic new chemistries and the flow cell engineering are developed simultaneously. Redox flow batteries are scalable technologies, therefore can range from single household systems (on the kilowatt-hour scale), to community and grid-scale networks. The ultimate objective of this work is to offer affordable, sustainable and long-lasting electrical energy storage, to make renewable electricity reliable and accessible to everyone.