The Synthesized Polysulfone-based Porous Membranes for Vanadium Redox Flow Battery

Global challenge of air pollution and the reduction of fossil fuel reserves, have created the need to use alternative energy sources. The storage of renewable energy, especially on a large scale, is the requirement of this goal. Flow batteries, especially vanadium type, have the potential to improve component and commercialize. The availability of vanadium elements in nature, elimination of ignition, and cost reduction are the benefits of this technology. One of the main challenges in this type of battery is the development of a high-performance membrane with low cost [۱-۳]. Porous membranes have high mechanical and chemical stability together with low cost [۴-۵]. Therefore, in this research, the preparation and characterization of three types of porous polymer membranes for vanadium redox flow battery is of purpose. In this regard, three types of polysulfone-based polymer were synthesized according to Scheme ۱. A polycondensation reaction using stoichiometric amounts of monomers was conducted to synthesize polymers. After characterization of polymers by FTIR-ATR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) (the attained data are reported in Table ۱), the porous membranes were prepared via solution casting and non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS). The morphology of prepared membranes was studied by SEM images as shown in Figure ۲. Tensile properties and water uptake of membranes was measured, and the related data are reported in Table ۱. According to the attained results, proton conductivity measurements and vanadium ion permeability were got on the agenda for potential cell performance. The cells for these measurements are shown in Figure ۲.

کلیدواژه ها:

Battery ، VRFB ، Membrane ، Porous membrane ، Polymer synthesis