Ultrathin Nafion-filled porous membrane for zinc/bromine redox flow batteries

In this work, we present a 16 μm-thick Nafion-filled porous membrane for Zn/Br redox flow batteries (ZBBs). By using molecular dynamics simulation and dynamic light scattering analysis, we rationally design Nafion solution for Nafion impregnation into a porous polypropylene (PP) separator. A void-fr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2017-09, Vol.7 (1), p.10503-10503, Article 10503
Main Authors: Kim, Riyul, Kim, Hyun Gyu, Doo, Gisu, Choi, Chanyong, Kim, Soohyun, Lee, Ju-Hyuk, Heo, Jiyun, Jung, Ho-Young, Kim, Hee-Tak
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
639/166/898
639/4077/4079/891
639/638/898
Batteries
Bromine
Electrodes
Energy efficiency
Energy storage
Humanities and Social Sciences
Light scattering
Membranes
Molecular dynamics
Morphology
multidisciplinary
Polypropylene
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Simulation
Solvents
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Summary:In this work, we present a 16 μm-thick Nafion-filled porous membrane for Zn/Br redox flow batteries (ZBBs). By using molecular dynamics simulation and dynamic light scattering analysis, we rationally design Nafion solution for Nafion impregnation into a porous polypropylene (PP) separator. A void-free Nafion/PP membrane is successfully fabricated by using NMP as a solvent for the Nafion solution. The resulting membrane shows a smaller area specific resistance in comparison with 600 μm-thick, commercial SF-600 porous membrane. Due to its dense morphology, Br 2 diffusivity of the Nafion/PP membrane is two orders of magnitude lower than that of SF-600, resulting in a comparable Br 2 crossover in spite of 37.5 times smaller membrane thickness. As a result, the ZBB based on the Nafion/PP membrane exhibits a higher energy efficiency, demonstrating that ion exchange membrane can outperform the conventional porous membrane by reducing the membrane thickness with inexpensive porous substrate.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-10850-9