【科技日报】科研人员制备高性能液流电池用超薄聚合物膜材料

Core Insights - The research team has developed a high-stability ultra-thin polymer membrane with a thickness of only 3 micrometers, which enhances the working current density of all-vanadium flow batteries to 300 milliamps per square centimeter [1][2]. Group 1: Research and Development - The polymer ion-selective membrane is favored in the market due to its low cost and ease of large-scale production [1]. - Traditional polymer membranes often have irregular pore structures, making it difficult to accurately separate active materials and charge carriers in flow batteries [1]. - A new interfacial crosslinking strategy was proposed to create a robust covalent crosslink network in the membrane, improving mechanical stability even at reduced thickness [1][2]. Group 2: Performance and Applications - The pore size distribution of the membrane's separation layer ranges from 1.8 Å to 5.4 Å, allowing for precise separation of active materials and rapid conduction of charge carriers [2]. - The ultra-thin membrane exhibits ultra-low surface resistance and active material permeability across a wide pH range, reducing ion transport resistance [2]. - The membrane was tested in an all-vanadium flow cell, achieving an energy efficiency exceeding 80% at a high current density of 300 milliamps per square centimeter [2]. - The ultra-thin membrane can also be applied to alkaline zinc-iron flow batteries and aqueous organic flow batteries, demonstrating excellent performance at high current densities [2].