The Zinc/Bromine Flow Battery ― Materials Challenges and Practical Solutions for Technology Advancement

This book presents a detailed technical overview of short- and long-term materials and design challenges to zinc/bromine flow battery advancement, the need for energy storage in the electrical grid and how these may be met with the Zn/Br system. Practical interdisciplinary pathways forward are identified via cross-comparison and comprehensive review of significant findings from more than 300 published works, with clear in-depth explanations spanning initial RFB development to state-of-the-art research in related systems. Promising strategies described include the use of modern electrochemical techniques to study and optimize physical processes occurring within the system during operation, improving zinc electroplating quality during the charge phase through the strategic use of organic additives, as well as identifying suitable catalysts to optimize the bromine/bromide redox couple. The primary focus is on research and development of novel materials in the areas of electrolyte formulation and multifunctional “smart” electrode surfaces to achieve a higher degree of control over processes at the electrode–electrolyte interface. The strategies suggested in this book are also highly adaptable for use in other similar flow battery systems, while the unique cross-comparative approach makes it a useful reference and source of new ideas for both new and established researchers in the field of energy storage and battery technology.

Professor Tony Vassallo holds the Delta Electricity Chair in Sustainable Energy Development at the University of Sydney, in the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. He took up this position in October 2008. Prior to this, he held the position of Senior Principal Research Scientist with the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation, followed by a period of consultancy to industry and government in the field of sustainable energy technology. Tony has over 90 fully refereed papers in international journals and 8 patents, 6 of which are US or other international patents. His published work has been cited over 3000 times, and has a h-index of 31. He is the leader of the $13M Future Grid Research Cluster and Chief Investigator of the ARC Linkage project “New High Performance Zinc Bromine Batteries with Novel Electrode/Electrolyte Systems”. He is a past President of the Australian Institute of Energy, leader of the Clean Energy Research Cluster in the Faculty of Engineering and leader of the Energy Storage Research Network at the University of Sydney.

Gobinath Pillai Rajarathnam is a Ph.D. candidate at the Centre for Sustainable Energy Development at the University of Sydney, in the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. His current research utilises electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and computational fluid dynamics to study and improve flow battery systems via novel materials and design. Prior to this, he worked internationally as a consulting engineer, carrying out probabilistic risk and safety studies for oil/gas and chemical industries. Gobinath has a B.Eng. (Hons. I) in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering from Sydney University. His awards include the Sydney University Dean’s List of Excellence in Academic Performance in 2008, the Bruce Choy Prize for 4th Year Chemical Engineering (shared) in 2011 and the Australian Postgraduate Award in 2014.