Nickel Hydroxide Nanofluid Cathodes with High Solid Loadings and Low Viscosity for Energy Storage Applications

Sujat Sen, Elahe Moazzen, Sinjin Acuna, Evan Draxler, Carlo U. Segre and Elena V. Timofeeva
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Sujat Sen: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin La Crosse, La Crosse, WI 54601, USA
Elahe Moazzen: Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
Sinjin Acuna: Influit Energy, LLC, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
Evan Draxler: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin La Crosse, La Crosse, WI 54601, USA
Carlo U. Segre: Department of Physics & CSRRI, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA
Elena V. Timofeeva: Department of Chemistry, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-13

Abstract: Nanofluid electrodes with high loading of active solid materials have significant potential as high energy density flow battery electrolytes; however, two key criteria need to be met: they must have a manageable viscosity for pumping and simultaneously exhibit good electrochemical activity. A typical dispersion of nickel hydroxide nanoparticles (~100 nm) is limited to 5–10 wt.% of solids, above which it has a paste-like consistency, incompatible with flow applications. We report on the successful formulation of stable dispersions of a nano-scale nickel hydroxide cathode (β-Ni(OH) 2 ) with up to 60 wt.% of solids and low viscosity (32 cP at 25 °C), utilizing a surface graft of small organic molecules. The fraction of grafting moiety is less than 3 wt.% of the nanoparticle weight, and its presence is crucial for the colloidal stability and low viscosity of suspensions. Electrochemical testing of the pristine and modified β-Ni(OH) 2 nanoparticles in the form of solid casted electrodes were found to be comparable with the latter exhibiting a maximum discharge capacity of ~237 mAh/g over 50 consecutive charge–discharge cycles, close to the theoretical capacity of 289 mAh/g.

Keywords: nanofluids; low viscosity; nickel hydroxide; nanoelectrofuels; flow battery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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