Masdar Institute, MIT to co-develop energy storage system

The Masdar Institute of Science and Technology will work with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to develop a new rechargeable battery for both renewable and conventional energy sources in the UAE.

According to a press release published on Monday, the two institutes are working on a non-water-based Redox Flow Battery (RFB) that relies on the metal vanadium. RFBs are built around two chemical components dissolved in liquids and contained within different tanks. A membrane separates the flow of the liquids, enabling the electrical energy to be stored in chemical energy and then converted back into electrical energy on demand.

“Vanadium can exist in a solution in several different oxidation states, so it can effectively take the place of both of the necessary chemical solutions in the RFB - meaning it can be vanadium on each side of the cell. Using the same element avoids the risk of contamination across the membrane that can otherwise, over time, impair or damage a battery," said Saif Almheiri, an assistant professor of mechanical and materials engineering at the Masdar Institute.

The project partners are now looking to discover new solvents to replace the water that is currently used to hold the electroactive vanadium. A non-water-based solution could remove the current operating temperature range limitations and enable the open circuit potential to exceed 1.2 V.

The team now intends to build a working flow battery cell and subsequently test its stability and ability to cycle back and forth.

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