Redox membrane-based flow fuel cell

Abstract

A flow fuel cell for use as a source of electrochemical energy with the membrane separating two flowing aqueous solutions with dissolved redox active components and electrodes of the second kind, wherein the membrane is made of a redox active synthetic metal polymer.

1 . Redox membrane-based flow fuel cell which can be used as a source of electrochemical energy, said cell comprising:
   1 . A chamber separated by a polymer membrane into two flow-through compartments where each compartment has a current collecting electrode of a second kind, the membrane is made of a synthetic metal polymer, one compartment has a solution of reducing and another compartment has a solution of oxidizing agent, respectively.     2 . A redox membrane-based flow fuel cell of  claim 1  where the membrane is made of polyaniline, polypyrrole or polythiophene or their derivatives so that the polymer is in electroconductive state.     3 . A redox membrane-based flow fuel cell of claim  2  where polyaniline is acid-doped with inorganic or organic acids or acidic polymers.     4 . A redox membrane-based flow fuel cell of claim  2  where solutions with reducing and oxidizing agents are flowing through different and separated by the membrane compartments and have concentrations of reducing and oxidizing agents in the range from 1 mM to 5M.     5 . A redox membrane-based flow fuel cell of claim  2  where solutions with reducing and oxidizing agents are flowing through different and separated by the membrane compartments and these solutions have a mixture of reducing agents and a mixture of oxidizing agents.     6 . A redox membrane-based flow fuel cell of claim  2  where the solution with reducing agent also has inorganic salts of chlorides, bromides or iodides in concentration from 1 mM to 5M.     7 . A redox membrane-based flow fuel cell of claim  2  where the solution with an oxidizing agent also has more acidic pH than that of the solution with reducing agent.     8 . A battery of the redox membrane-based flow fuel cells of  claim 1  where the solutions of the redox active chemicals are flowing from one cell to another.