Method of Optimizing Surface of Carbon Electrode for Flow Battery

Abstract

A method is provided to optimize the surface of a carbon electrode for flow battery. A reaction solution is prepared as containing a requested ratio of functional group. After spraying the reaction solution on the carbon electrode, a number of related parameters of an atmospheric plasma are set for activation the carbon electrode. Thus, the functional group is covalently bonded on the surface of the carbon electrode according to requirement. Thereby, an accurate control of the type and number of the functional group bonded on the surface of the carbon electrode is achieved with the stability and performance of flow battery further enhanced.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing surface of a carbon electrode for flow battery, comprising steps of: (a) solution configuration: obtaining a compound selected from a group consisting of a hydrophilic compound and a derivative thereof, said compound having functional group with featured electrons selected from a group consisting of double-bond electrons and lone-pair electrons, and controlling a ratio of at least one requested functional group during preparation to obtain a reaction solution; and (b) activation: spraying said reaction solution on a carbon electrode; and, after setting a plurality of related reaction parameters of an atmospheric plasma and processing activation with said atmospheric plasma, covalently bonding a requested ratio of said at least one functional group onto surface of said carbon electrode to accurately control the type and number of said at least one functional group bonded on said surface of said carbon electrode.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises steps of: (a1) sample selection: obtaining said compound, wherein said compound has said functional group selected from a group consisting of a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amine group, an amide group, and a combination of at least two of the above; (a2) weight-percent adjustment: configuring a requested weight percentage (wt. %) of said compound to be fit in a range of 1˜10 wt. %; and (a3) volume-percentage adjustment: configuring a requested volume percentage (vol. %) of said at least one functional group of said compound.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises steps of: (b1) electrode fixation: fixing said carbon electrode on an atmospheric-plasma machine; (b2) spraying: atomizing said reaction solution to be sprayed on surface of said carbon electrode; (b3) parameter setting: setting a plurality of related response parameters of said atmospheric-plasma machine according to requirement; (b4) flow control: controlling atmospheric-plasma conditions of a gas passing into said atmospheric plasma machine, wherein a flow range of said gas is set; and (b5) plasma activation: according to said related response parameters and said flow range of said gas, obtaining said atmospheric plasma with a low temperature to activate said surface of said carbon electrode with said atmospheric plasma to covalently bond said at least one functional group in said reaction solution onto said surface of said carbon electrode, wherein, on said surface of said carbon electrode, said requested ratio of said at least one functional group selected from a group consisting of a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amine group, an amide group, and a combination of at least two of the above is obtained to accurately control the type and number of said at least one functional group bonded on said surface of said carbon electrode.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said related response parameters comprises an advancing speed and a plasma power.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said gas is selected from a group consisting of a nitrogen gas and an inert gas.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment according to the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which

[0011] FIG. 1 is the flow view showing the preferred embodiment according to the present invention;

[0012] FIG. 2 is the flow view showing the solution configuration; and

[0013] FIG. 3 is the flow view showing the activation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0014] The following description of the preferred embodiment is provided to understand the features and the structures of the present invention.

[0015] Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, which are a flow view showing a preferred embodiment according to the present invention; a flow view showing solution configuration; and a flow view showing activation. As shown in the figures, the present invention is a method of optimizing surface of a carbon electrode for flow battery, comprising the following steps:

[0016] (a) Solution configuration s1: A hydrophilic compound or derivative thereof is configured. The hydrophilic compound or derivative thereof has functional group with double-bond electrons or lone-pair electrons. A ratio of at least one requested functional group is controlled during preparation for obtaining a reaction solution.

[0017] (b) Activation s2: The reaction solution is sprayed on a carbon electrode. After setting a plurality of related reaction parameters of an atmospheric plasma and processing activation with the atmospheric plasma, a requested ratio of the at least one functional group is covalently bonded onto surface of the carbon electrode to accurately control the type and number of the at least one functional group bonded on the surface of the carbon electrode. Thus, a novel method of optimizing surface of a carbon electrode for flow battery is obtained.

[0018] In a state-of-use, the flow of the solution configuration shown in FIG. 2 comprises the following sub-steps:

[0019] (a1) Sample selection s11: The hydrophilic compound or derivative thereof is obtained. The hydrophilic compound or derivative thereof has the functional group with the double-bond electrons or lone-pair electrons, which is a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amine group, an amide group, or a combination of at least two of the above.

[0020] (a2) Weight-percent adjustment s12: A requested weight percentage (wt. %) of the hydrophilic compound or derivative thereof is configured to be fit in a range of 1˜10 wt. %.

[0021] (a3) Volume-percentage adjustment s13: A requested volume percentage (vol. %) of the at least one functional group of the hydrophilic compound or derivative thereof is configured to obtain a reaction solution.

[0022] In a state-of-use, the flow of the activation shown in FIG. 3 comprises the following steps:

[0023] (b1) Electrode fixation s21: A carbon electrode is fixed on an atmospheric-plasma machine.

[0024] (b2) Spraying s22: A reaction solution is atomized to be sprayed on surface of the carbon electrode.

[0025] (b3) Parameter setting s23: A plurality of related response parameters of the atmospheric-plasma machine are set according to requirement. The related response parameters comprises an advancing speed and a plasma power.

[0026] (b4) Flow control s24: A plurality of atmospheric-plasma conditions of a gas passing into the atmospheric plasma machine are controlled, where a flow range of the gas is set.

[0027] (b5) Plasma activation s25: According to the related response parameters and the flow range of the gas, the atmospheric plasma is generated with a low temperature to activate the surface of the carbon electrode with the atmospheric plasma to covalently bond the at least one functional group in the reaction solution onto the surface of the carbon electrode. Therein, on the surface of the carbon electrode, a requested ratio of the at least one functional group, like a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amine group, an amide group, or a combination of at least two of the above, is obtained to accurately control the type and number of the at least one functional group bonded on the surface of the carbon electrode. Thus, the surface of the carbon electrode is optimized.

[0028] The present invention improves charge/discharge efficiency for flow battery. As compared to traditional methods, the present invention configures a reaction solution containing a ratio of functional group based on user's request. The reaction solution is sprayed on surface of a carbon electrode and processed with an atmospheric plasma. Then, the functional group, which can be a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amine group, an amide group, etc., is covalently bonded on the surface of the carbon electrode according to the user's request for further enhancing the stability and performance of flow battery. Thus, the present invention has the following features:

[0029] 1. The present invention uses a low-temperature atmospheric-pressure plasma. The high cost of the conventional low-voltage plasma process is improved for mass production. As compared to conventional heat treatment, acid treatment, and other technical treatments, not only performance is outstanding, but also operation is fast, easy, safe, and environmentally protective with input cost reduced.

[0030] 2. The present invention provides energy and condition for covalent bonding between surface of a carbon electrode and a reaction solution containing a functional group ratio base on user's request, which is not like the traditional technology of hydroxyl (OH) with an unknown number of bondings.

[0031] 3. The present invention configures the functional group with special structure (i.e. double-bond electrons or lone-pair electrons), which is a hydroxyl compound or its derivative containing a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an amine group, an amide group, or any combination thereof, with the ratio controlled during preparation.

[0032] To sum up, the present invention is a method of optimizing surface of a carbon electrode for flow battery, where a reaction solution containing a requested ratio of functional group is prepared; after spraying the reaction solution on a carbon electrode, a number of related parameters are set for an atmospheric plasma for activating the carbon electrode with the atmospheric plasma; the functional group is covalently bonded on the surface of the carbon electrode according to requirement; and an accurate control of the type and number of the functional groups bonded on the surface of the carbon electrode is achieved with the stability and performance of flow battery further enhanced.

[0033] The preferred embodiment herein disclosed is not intended to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. Therefore, simple modifications or variations belonging to the equivalent of the scope of the claims and the instructions disclosed herein for a patent are all within the scope of the present invention.