article · ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
Nanoparticles of a novel fluorite high-entropy oxide, formulated as (BiZrMoWCeLa)O2, have been synthesised using a surfactant-assisted hydrothermal method followed by calcination to serve as catalysts in vanadium redox flow batteries. When calcined at 750 degrees Celsius, the material shows enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward key vanadium redox couples compared to other tested preparations. In charge-discharge evaluations, batteries incorporating this catalyst achieved an energy efficiency of 85.04 percent at a current density of 80 milliamperes per square centimetre and maintained 73.34 percent energy efficiency at 160 milliamperes per square centimetre. Testing across 500 charge-discharge cycles showed no discernible degradation. The performance gains are linked to a single-phase fluorite structure formed during heat treatment, combined with high surface area, improved wettability, and abundant oxygen vacancies that supply active electrochemical sites and stabilise the electrode.
Vanadium redox flow batteries are vital systems for large-scale energy storage, but their overall performance depends on efficient electrode catalysts. Demonstrating that high-entropy oxide catalysts provide high energy efficiency and endure 500 cycles without discernible degradation offers a practical route to improving the operational lifespan and reliability of grid-level energy storage hardware.
This work is relevant to developers and manufacturers of vanadium redox flow batteries looking to improve electrode efficiency and longevity. The technology sits at an applied laboratory stage, having demonstrated durable performance across 500 continuous cycles in assembled test cells. Moving toward commercialisation would require pilot-scale catalyst synthesis and extended testing under industrial operational conditions.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
In this study, new fluorite high-entropy oxide (HEO), (BiZrMoWCeLa)O2, nanoparticles were produced using a surfactant-assisted hydrothermal technique followed by calcination and were used as novel catalytic materials for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The HEO calcined at 750 °C (HEO-750) demonstrates superior electrocatalytic activity toward V3+/V2+ and VO2+/VO2+ redox couples compared to those of cells assembled with other samples. The charge–discharge tests further confirm that VRFBs using the HEO-750 catalyst demonstrate excellent Coulombic efficiency, voltage efficiency, and energy efficiency of 97.22, 87.47, and 85.04% at a current density of 80 mA cm–2 and 98.10, 74.76, and 73.34% at a higher current density of 160 mA cm–2, respectively. Moreover, with 500 charge–discharge cycles, there is no discernible degradation. These results are attributed to the calcination heat treatment, which induces the formation of a new single-phase fluorite structure, which facilitates the redox reactions of the vanadium redox couples. Furthermore, a high surface area, wettability, and plenty of oxygen vacancies can give more surface electroactive sites, improving the electrochemical performance, the charge transfer of the redox processes, and the stability of the VRFBs’ electrode. This is the first report on the development of fluorite structure HEO nanoparticles in VRFBs, and it opens the door to further research into other HEOs.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c15783
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
