Advanced Energy Storage Technologies | Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy

shutterstock_287323136 Besides rechargeable batteries for energy storage and electronics development, RISE members are also actively working on various hydrogen energy technologies especially hydrogen production, such as:

Hydrogen Harvesting and Utilization from Water Electrochlorination Process;
Green hydrogen production by both room temperature water electrolysis and high temperature steam electrolysis (by solid oxide electrolyzer cells: SOECs); and
in-situ hydrogen generation for electrical vehicle applications.

Major Ongoing Projects

Electrical energy storage - Batteries

Durable and High-performance Zinc-air Flow Batteries for Energy Storage

RGC Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) Project, (C5031-20G), PC: Prof. Meng Ni, HK$ 4,200,000, 1 April 2021 – 31 March 2024.

Project description:

This project aims to develop high performance and durable Zn-air flow batteries for grid scale energy storage. It is a research project in collaboration with The University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Project objectives:

Gain a fundamental understanding of the effect of flowing electrolyte on the ORR rate and stability.
Gain a fundamental understanding on how the flowing electrolyte affect the oxygen generation, desorption and transport in the OER process of the air electrode.
Gain a fundamental understanding on how the flowing electrolyte affects the passivation and dendrite growth of the Zn electrode.

Chemical energy storage - Fuel cells

The New Generation of High Capacity Batteries for Energy Storage

Supported by PolyU Centre of Excellence, PI: Prof. Guohua CHEN

Project Objectives:

The ultimate objective of the proposed research would be the synthesis and improvement of the materials for high capacity batteries systems with safe operation, long service life and low cost.

For high voltage lithium (sodium) ion batteries development, it will involve:

cathode materials synthesis from MO2+LiF or MO2 + NaF using solid state reaction;
materials surface modification by oxidative chemical vapor deposition method (oCVD);
selection of additives and binders for anode materials such as silicon and metal oxides;
exploration of high conductivity ionic liquid or gel as high voltage electrolyte;

For lithium (sodium)-sulfur batteries investigation, it will involve:

immobilization of S and polysulfides in the cathode compartment;
investigation of tough materials as the separator;
synthesis of polymeric solid electrolyte with sufficient ion and electron conductivity;
modification and additives to the electrolyte to suppress the lithium (sodium) dendrites;