Transcript Hybrid Carbon-Bismuth Nanoparticle Electrodes for Energy

Hybrid Carbon-Bismuth Nanoparticle Electrodes
for Energy Storage Applications
Trevor Yates, Adam McNeeley, William Barrett | GRA: Abhinandh Sankar, AC: Dr. Anastasios Angelopoulos | University of Cincinnati
Results
Introduction
 Renewable energy must eventually replace fossil fuels in the
power grid
100
 Peak current increases as more layers are applied
 Standard Layer-by-Layer Assembly is a better technique
than directed Layer-by-Layer Assembly for this application
80
Percent
• VRFBs lack sufficient power density, energy conversion
efficiency, and rate capability
• Recent study improved energy conversion efficiency of VRFBs
11% by using Bismuth nanoparticles [1]
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Carbon
No Carbon
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20
• Investigate Bismuth and Carbon nanoparticles in order to
further improve VRFB performance
0
5
10
15
20
 Perform microscopic characterization of Carbon and Bismuth
nanoparticles
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Cycle Number
2
8-Layers Performs Better Than 4-Layers
4-Layers
8-Layers
0.1
0
-0.1
Peak Current Density:
2
4-Layers = 0.066 mA/cm
2
8-Layers = 0.16 mA/cm
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-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0
0.2
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sLbL Performs Better Than dLbL
• Thank you NSF for funding this project: Grant Nos. DUE 0756921
and EEC 1004623.
• This material is based upon work supported by the National
Science Foundation under Grant Nos. DUE 0756921 and EEC
1004623. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations
expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
sLbL
dLbL
0.1
0
Peak Current Density:
2
sLbL = 0.16 mA/cm
2
dLbL = 0.077 mA/cm
-0.1
-0.2
-0.6
-0.4
http://reneweconomy.com.au/2012/smooth-sailing-for-wind-powerwith-new-flow-battery-or-not-34476
Acknowledgments
2
Current Density (mA/cm )
 Scale up the production of Bismuth nanoparticles and electrode
assembly
 Quantify the improvement on Vanadium Redox Flow Battery
performance
Potential (V vs Ag/AgCl)
• Each component dries two minutes and then washes in
deionized water for one minute
• NaOH washes away the Tin particles after all layers are
applied
• sLbL is stacked with Polymer, Carbon, Polymer, BismuthTin complex for each layer
• dLbL is stacked with Polymer, Carbon, Bismuth-Tin
complex for each layer
Future Research
 Investigate why Carbon stabilizes Bismuth peaks
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Current Density (mA/cm )
Procedure
 Cationic polymer is best used to separate Carbon from Bismuth
nanoparticles
 Verify that Carbon stabilizes Bismuth
Objectives
• Construct electrocatalysts with Layer-by-Layer Assembly
• Use cyclic voltammetry in order to electrochemically
characterize the electocatalysts
• Find whether Carbon adds stability to the peaks
• Determine if an increase in layers leads to an increase in
current density peaks
• Compare the performance of standard Layer-by-Layer
Assembly (sLbL) and directed Layer-by-Layer Assembly
(dLbL) in order to gain a better understanding of how Carbon
and Bismuth nanoparticles interact
 A trend is observed that Carbon stabilizes the Bismuth on the
electrode
Higher Stability With Carbon
 Renewable energy must be stored efficiently for economic
viability
• Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFBs) are attractive for this
application due to their high stability
Conclusions
-0.2
0
0.2
Potential (V vs Ag/AgCl)
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0.6
• Special thanks to Abhinandh Sankar and Dr. Anastasios
Angelopoulos
• [1] Suarez, David J.; Gonzalez, Zoraida; et al. (2014). “Graphite
Felt Modified with Bismuth Nanoparticles as Negative Electrode in
a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery,” ChemSusChem, Vol.7, No. 3,
pp. 914-918.