Yu Zhu awarded $1M Department of Energy grant for redox flow battery research

Dr. Yu Zhu, a professor at The University of Akron's School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, has been awarded a prestigious $1,077,397 grant by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Basic Energy Sciences program.

The grant will fund a cutting-edge research project on materials used in redox flow batteries (RFB) over the next three years. Titled “Unraveling Assembly and Charge Dynamics of Asymmetric Metal Complexes in Aqueous Solution,” the project seeks to deepen the understanding of key materials in aqueous redox flow batteries, focusing on metal complex compounds and their behavior at high concentrations to design more energy-dense RFB systems.

Redox flow batteries are emerging as a critical technology for large-scale energy storage, particularly as renewable energy sources become more prevalent. These batteries store energy in liquid electrolytes that circulate through an electrochemical cell, offering scalability, long life cycles and customizable energy-to-power ratios. As renewable energy sources like wind and solar grow in importance, advancements in RFB technology are crucial for supporting grid-scale energy storage.

Zhu's research builds on foundational work previously published in Nature Energy and Nature Communications. These studies explored the potential of metal-organic complex materials to improve the performance and energy density of redox flow batteries. This new project will investigate how these compounds behave in high concentrations—a critical factor in designing RFB systems with higher energy densities, which is key to enhancing the efficiency and scalability of this technology.

“Our goal is to gain a fundamental understanding of how these metal-organic complexes behave in concentrated solutions,” said Zhu. “This knowledge is essential for designing redox flow batteries with higher energy densities, which will help meet the increasing demand for large-scale energy storage solutions."

Zhu is leading this DOE-funded project in collaboration with Pennsylvania State University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. These partnerships bring together leading experts in electrochemistry, materials science, and energy systems, ensuring that the research will advance both fundamental science and practical applications in next-generation RFB technology.

As renewable energy continues to expand, efficient large-scale energy storage systems like RFBs are critical for stabilizing the electrical grid and integrating intermittent energy sources. This research promises to pave the way for new advancements in energy storage technology, contributing to a more reliable and sustainable energy future.

RELATED CONTENT:

• Learn more about Dr. Yu Zhu's research.
• Explore our programs in Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering at UA.

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Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu.