(226c) Scalable Faradaic Electrodes for Enhanced Charge Transfer in Redox Flow Batteries

Further development of electrode materials to enhance interfacial charge transfer interactions in redox flow batteries is necessary to diminish costs and augment electrochemical performance. Unpurified carbon nanotubes, containing their ferrocene synthesis catalysts, are activated to permit interactions between the ferrocene nanoparticles and the bulk electrolyte. These nanoparticles drastically decrease the activation and Ohmic losses of electron transfer at the electrode/electrolyte interface which results in mass transfer limitations not effecting the discharge voltage of the battery until much greater discharge currents. Carbon nanotube electrodes are activated in acidic conditions utilizing cyclic voltammetry and results in the physical fracturing of the nanotubes. Modified electrodes experience a 141% increase in power density and a 56.5% increase in energy density in coin cell configurations. Comparable peak power densities to the literature standard was attained at 176 mW/cm² for all-iron redox for batteries, although our system achieved this mark in a stagnant electrolyte configuration and power density outputs will be greatly elevated when pilot redox flow battery experiments have been conducted.