A team of scientists from Canada and the Netherlands has developed a nature-inspired electrode manufactured using 3D printing — a technology that produces three-dimensional objects from digital designs — capable of improving the performance of flow batteries by approximately 50%.
According to the research team, the technology is intended for large-scale storage of energy generated from renewable sources, such as solar and wind farms. Flow batteries differ from conventional batteries in that they store electrolytes in external tanks rather than within a sealed casing. The system uses two tanks — one for charged electrolyte and one for discharged — allowing storage capacity to be expanded by adding further tanks.
This characteristic makes the technology well suited to offsetting the intermittency of renewable energy sources. Electricity generated by solar panels or wind turbines can be stored in the tanks and drawn upon later, when generation falls, such as at night or during periods of low wind.
To improve the performance of these batteries, the researchers used 3D printing to manufacture porous electrodes with carefully controlled internal structures. The technique allows the geometry of the electrode to be precisely defined and channels to be created that guide the flow of electrolyte, increasing contact between the liquid and the surfaces where electrochemical reactions take place.
According to those responsible for the project, it is precisely in that process that one of the principal advantages of the new design lies. The electrolyte must circulate evenly through the interior of the electrode in order for the reactions responsible for charging and discharging the battery to occur efficiently. Uneven distribution of the liquid can leave parts of the electrode underutilised, limiting overall system performance.
3D printing allows scientists to control the internal structure with a level of precision that is difficult to achieve through conventional manufacturing methods. “With 3D printing, we can design the internal structure of an electrode in ways that are hard to achieve with conventional fabrication,” said Maxime Heijden, a researcher who developed the project alongside colleagues from Canada and Germany.
According to Heijden, control over electrolyte circulation is fundamental to making better use of the electrode surface. “This gives us greater control over how the liquid moves through the battery and reaches the surfaces where the energy storage reactions take place,” she added.
The nature-inspired design thus seeks to resolve one of the core challenges of flow batteries: ensuring that the electrolyte reaches the entire active area of the electrode efficiently. By creating a network of pores and channels with a defined geometry, the researchers are able to control the path of the liquid and improve the utilisation of the surface area available for reactions.
Another important element is the use of water-based electrolytes, which make these batteries a safer option for stationary energy storage installations. The combination of large external tanks, aqueous electrolytes, and 3D-printed electrodes could facilitate the development of systems scaled to store large volumes of electricity.
The researchers are now working to refine electrode geometry and electrolyte circulation in order to achieve further efficiency gains. The approach could contribute to making flow batteries more suitable for storing energy produced by renewable sources, particularly in systems that need to retain electricity over extended periods.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=544822
