Self-regenerative electrolytes with intrinsic redox activity for energy storage devices
AssigneeThe American University in Cairo
InventorsNageh K. Allam, Abdelrahman A. M. Ismail
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Abstract
A hydrogel composition and its use as an electrolyte in energy storage devices is described. The hydrogel can include a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix and an aqueous solution of lithium bromide (LiBr). The hydrogel electrolyte has high water retention ability, anti-freezing properties, is non-flammable, and has redox activity with a stable self-discharge rate.
Claims16
A hydrogel electrolyte comprising a polymeric matrix and a solution comprising water and a salt, wherein the polymeric matrix comprises polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and wherein the salt comprises lithium bromide (LiBr), wherein the hydrogel electrolyte comprises (i) about 2 parts of an aqueous solution of LiBr having a LiBr concentration of about 0.5 M to about 5 M and (ii) about one part of an aqueous solution comprising about 0.15 grams per milliliter (g/mL) PVA, the hydrogel electrolyte is capable of regenerating, via absorption of water from an environment surrounding the hydrogel electrolyte and within twenty-four hours, more than 70% of a water content of the hydrogel electrolyte following loss of the water content due to evaporation, and the hydrogel electrolyte is intrinsically redox active.
A method of preparing a hydrogel electrolyte, wherein the method comprises:
- (i) preparing a first solution, wherein the first solution comprises an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), wherein the first solution comprises about 0.15 grams of PVA per milliliter;
- (ii) preparing a second solution, wherein the second solution comprises an aqueous solution of lithium bromide (LiBr), wherein the second solution has a concentration of LiBr of about 0.5 molar (M) to about 5 M;
- and
- adding a volume of the first solution to a volume of the second solution to provide a mixture and stirring the mixture for a period of time to provide a clear composition, thereby providing the hydrogel electrolyte, wherein a volume ratio of the first solution to the second solution is about 2:1, the hydrogel electrolyte is capable of regenerating, via absorption of water from an environment surrounding the hydrogel electrolyte and within twenty-four hours, more than 70% of a water content of the hydrogel electrolyte following loss of the water content due to evaporation, and the hydrogel electrolyte is intrinsically redox active.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.