Investigation on the electrode process of the Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple in redox flow battery

The Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple has been recognized as a potential anode for redox flow batteries to take the place of the V(IV)/V(V) in all-vanadium redox battery (VRB) and the Br2/Br− in sodium polysulfide/bromine (PSB) because it has higher standard electrode potential. In this study, the electrochemical behavior of the Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple on carbon felt and spectral pure graphite were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, steady polarization curve, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, transient potential-step experiment, X-ray diffraction and charge–discharge experiments. Results show that the Mn(III) disproportionation reaction phenomena is obvious on the carbon felt electrode while it is weak on the graphite electrode owing to its fewer active sites. The reaction mechanism on carbon felt was discussed in detail. The reversibility of Mn(II)/Mn(III) is best when the sulfuric acid concentration is 5 M on the graphite electrode. Performance of a RFB employing Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple as anolyte active species and V(III)/V(II) as catholyte ones was evaluated with constant-current charge–discharge tests. The average columbic efficiency is 69.4% and the voltage efficiency is 90.4% at a current density of 20 mA cm−2. The whole energy efficiency is 62.7% close to that of the all-vanadium battery and the average discharge voltage is about 14% higher than that of an all-vanadium battery. The preliminary exploration shows that the Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple is electrochemically promising for redox flow battery.