Highly Hydroxylated Graphite Felts Used as Electrodes for a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery
The highly hydroxylated graphite felts (GFs) were obtained by treating in mixed acids (V(HNO3)/V(H3PO4)=3:1) for different time at 80°C, and used as the electrodes for all vanadium redox flow battery (VRB). The physical, chemical and electrochemical characteristics of these GFs are characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltametry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and charge/discharge test. The excellent electrochemical properties of the treated GFs to VRB electrode reactions can be ascribed to the enhancement of the interaction between vanadium ions with –OH groups introduced by acid treatment. Using GFs treated in the mixed acids for 8 h as electrodes, the VRB exhibits excellent performance under a current density of 20 mA/cm2. The average current efficiency, voltage efficiency and energy efficiency are about 97%, 83.3% and 78%, respectively.