A comparative study of chemically oxidized carbon cloth and thermally treated carbon paper electrodes applied on aqueous organic redox flow batteries

Aqueous organic redox flow batteries (AORFBs) are emerging as promising candidates for efficient energy storage in grid-scale applications. In this study, we present a comprehensive analysis comparing the performance of thermally treated carbon paper and chemically oxidized carbon cloth electrodes, which have been extensively examined for their potential suitability in AORFBs. Results indicate that carbon cloth electrodes exhibit a higher concentration of oxygenated functional groups, contributing to enhanced electrochemical kinetics and improved electrochemical stability. These attributes translate to an AORFB with 62 times higher power density when compared to paper-based electrodes used. Through repeated charge-discharge cycles utilizing the BQDS║AQS model as a representative AORFB prototype, superior performance in the carbon cloth electrodes is consistently observed. Our findings even suggest the potential for optimizing the flow rate of the electrolyte to further enhance performance.