The increase of adding intermittent renewable energy sources like solar and wind to the electricity grid requires a commensurate need for large scale energy storage. Flow batteries are the most likely storage technology to meet this need because of its ability to decouple power load from energy storage capacity. Flow battery electrolytes are mostly based on aqueous systems with limited voltage window for energy storage redox couples, with some systems based on organic solvents that are volatile and often toxic. The DOE Emerging Frontiers Research Center (EFRC), a multi-institutional effort led by CWRU called Breakthrough Electrolytes of Energy Storage and Systems (BEES2) is exploring structured fluid electrolyte systems, more specifically CoHBEs (Concentrated Hydrogen –Bonded Electroltyes) and Microemulsions. The scientific mission of BEES2 is to uncover transport mechanisms of ions, protons, redox species, and electrons in these nano to meso scale structured electrolytes in the bulk and at the electrode-electrolyte interface. In this presentation we will describe the motivation of this work, report on research highlights from the first four years, and describe the scope and approach for the next four years of BEES2.

Understanding fluid structure and properties for energy storage electrolytes: Concentrated hydrogen bonded networks (CoHBES) and microemulsions

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