Major Obstacles and Optimization Strategies for the Electrode of Vanadium Redox Flow Battery

The vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) has become a highly favored energy storage system due to its long life, safety, environmental friendliness, and scalability. However, the inherently problematic properties of the electrode have hindered the widespread application of VRFB technology. Therefore, understanding the progress of electrode modification research is critical to advance the development of the high-performance VRFB. This review highlights the potential challenges of carbon electrodes for VRFB applications, including poor hydrophilicity, low reactivity, and high mass transfer resistance. It reviews recent advances in modification research addressing these three aspects, reveals the critical influencing factors on each particular challenge, and describes the mechanism of influence of each key factor. It provides a reference for developing and applying VRFB technology. Finally, some practical suggestions and prospects are provided for the future development of the VRFB.