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					</table>Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (<a href="https://www.iitm.ac.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">IIT Madras</a>) have said that all-organic redox flow batteries (NORFBs) could achieve enhanced energy density, stability, and solubility by introducing pyrylium salt into the mix.
This development could pave the way for cleaner and more efficient grid energy storage systems.
The team’s research focuses on non-aqueous all-organic redox flow batteries (NORFBs), which have gained significant interest due to their environmental friendliness and higher energy density than aqueous batteries.
The prototype NORFB developed by the researchers exhibited promising results, operating at a high current density of 40 mA cm-2.
It also demonstrated stability with 60 stable galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) cycles and an average coulombic efficiency of 97%.
The key component of a redox flow battery is the redox-active organic molecule (ROM), which stores and releases energy.
However, conventional ROMs often have limitations such as low solubility and poor mass and charge transfer kinetics, leading to low current and energy densities.
To address these challenges, the researchers introduced the use of pyrylium salt in NORFBs for the first time.
Pyrylium salts are widely employed in synthetic organic chemistry as photocatalysts and precursors for various applications. By utilizing two different chemical components – 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium tetrafluoroborate (TPT), as the anolyte and N-decyl phenothiazine (DPTZ) as the catholyte, the researchers constructed the NORFB.
The study demonstrated that TPT offers high solubility, reversibility, and improved stability, which are crucial factors for achieving high energy density and cyclability in redox flow batteries.
The researchers also noted that the 2nd, 4th, and 6th positions of pyrylium salt provide a versatile platform for tailoring the electrochemical activity and stability of the ROMs.
Ragupathy, an associate professor and principal scientist at the Redox Flow Battery Research Group, <a href="https://cecri.res.in/Default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CSIR</a>-Central Electrochemical Research Institute, emphasized that the use of non-aqueous solvents with a wider electrochemical potential window, along with low-cost and abundant redox-active organic materials, makes NORFBs an attractive option for grid energy storage applications.
The successful implementation of TPT as the anolyte also highlights its solubility, reversibility, and improved stability, which are crucial for achieving high energy density and cyclability in redox flow batteries.
Furthermore, the study showed that by modifying substituents at different positions of pyrylium salts, it is possible to fine-tune the redox behavior and stability of ROMs, providing a versatile platform for further exploration in this field.
Last year, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) <a href="https://mercomindia.com/researchers-claim-aqueous-redox-flow-battery-for-renewable-storage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> to have built a stable kilowatt-scale aqueous redox flow battery with high-performance organic redox-active molecules for renewable storage.
In the same month, researchers at the University of Sydney <a href="https://mercomindia.com/researchers-claim-sodium-sulfur-battery-potent-than-lithium-ion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> to have developed a new, low-cost sodium-sulfur battery with four times the energy capacity of lithium-ion batteries.

IIT Madras Finds Pyrylium Salt Enhances Redox Flow Batteries’ Capabilities

<a href="https://voltstorage.com/en/investment-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VoltStorage</a>, a developer and producer of energy storage systems based on redox flow technologies, received €24 million (~$24.4 million) in Series C financing from the U.S. company Cummins.
The capital will be used to develop new battery storage systems and grow the company. “With Cummins, VoltStorage gains a long-term oriented investor with a deep understanding of our products, the market, and the corporate strategy. This future-oriented investment will enable us to pursue VoltStorage’s product and company development with even greater energy. It is now undisputed: energy storage systems are crucial for converting the electric power supply to 100 percent renewables. With the newly acquired funding, VoltStorage will be able to provide the necessary technologies for this,” said VoltStorage CEO Jakob Bitner.
VoltStorage develops and produces commercial storage systems based on the particular ecological vanadium redox flow technology for commercial and agricultural enterprises. With the development of their iron salt technology, the company aims to set new standards in the field of long-duration energy storage and offer wind and solar farms a cost-effective and resource-saving option for ensuring base load capability.
Over the past five years, VoltStorage has already received funding from investors Korys, EIT InnoEnergy, Bayern Kapital, SOSV, Energie 360°, and Business Angels led by Matthias Willenbacher.
“Our Destination Zero strategy is integral to every technology, growth, business, and investment decision we make. We continue to make our products cleaner, and by investing in VoltStorage, we are taking steps to also make the grid and energy storage greener as well. It will take us all working together to address climate change and by continuing to invest in clean energy solutions we can have a positive impact on our communities, our customers, and future generations.”
The amount raised will go toward developing larger-scale redox flow storage systems for commercial and agricultural enterprises. In addition, product development of the iron salt technology will accelerate commercialization. VoltStorage also plans to expand its team significantly and further expand the company’s activities.
Recently, FlexGen Power Systems, a provider of integration services and software technology for energy storage solutions, <a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/flexgen-raises-100-million/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the close of a $100 million Series C investment round. The funding was provided by Vitol, an energy trading company, in partnership with existing investors.
According to Mercom’s 1H and Q2 2022 Funding and M&amp;A <a href="https://cms.mercomindia.com/product/1h-q2-2022-funding-ma-report-for-storage-grid-efficiency/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Report</a> for Storage, Grid &amp; Efficiency, Total corporate funding (including venture capital funding, public market, and debt financing) for Energy Storage, Smart Grid, and Efficiency companies in 1H 2022 was up significantly year-over-year (YoY) with $17 billion compared to $10.4 billion raised in 1H 2021.

Voltstorage Receives $24 Million In Series C Funding

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (<a href="https://www.mit.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MIT</a>) have developed a novel electrode material that they believe can be integrated into a semi-solid battery to store renewable energy cost-effectively.
The thick black material comprises a mixture of dispersed manganese dioxide (MnO2) particles with an electrically conductive additive in carbon black. When the mixture is pumped from the tanks toward the membrane, the carbon black reacts with a conductive zinc solution to efficiently convert chemical energy into electricity.
A rechargeable zinc-manganese dioxide (Zn-MnO2) battery featuring this mixture was tested alongside other energy storage systems, with the team looking to see how they compared in terms of operational costs. They calculated the costs of running this semi-solid flow battery across eight, 24, and 72-hour durations. The team found that the semi-solid flow battery featuring this mixture outperformed other long-duration energy storage contenders like vanadium redox flow and lithium-ion batteries.
While other flow battery systems in contention, such as the vanadium redox flow battery, offer the storage capacity and energy density to back up megawatt and larger power systems, they depend on expensive chemical ingredients that make them bad bets for long-duration purposes.
“We performed a comprehensive, bottom-up analysis to understand how the battery’s composition affects performance and cost, looking at all the trade-offs. We showed that our system can be cheaper than others and can be scaled up,” said Thaneer Malai Narayanan, Battery and Hydrogen Researcher, MIT.
The duration of time that flow batteries can discharge, releasing the stored electricity, is determined by the volume of positively and negatively charged electrolyte solutions streaming through the stack. In theory, as long as these solutions keep flowing, reacting, and converting the chemical energy to electrical energy, the battery systems can provide electricity.
“The subsequent step is to take our battery system and construct it up,” says Narayanan. “Our analysis additionally factors the best way to different chemistries that might be developed below the semi-solid circulation battery platform, so we might be seeing this sort of expertise used for vitality storage in our lifetimes.”
Researchers at TU Graz University claimed that they had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/researchers-develop-redox-flow-battery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developed</a> a redox flow battery that utilizes conventional vanillin instead of liquid electrolyte.
Scientists from Friedrich Schiller University said they had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/researchers-polymer-redox-flow-batteries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">developed</a> a new polymer electrolyte for redox flow batteries that enhances efficiency and heat-resistance capacity.

New Novel Electrode Material to Unlock Affordable Renewable Energy Storage: MIT

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