Electrochemical Energy Storage

Electrochemical energy storage systems store electricity in chemical form so that it can be converted back into electricity as needed. Besides batteries and accumulators, this category also includes specialised types such as hydrogen electrolysers and fuel cells, or redox flow systems, whose power and capacity can be scaled independently. Due to their high efficiency and versatility, they are a key technology for electromobility, portable electronics, and the integration of renewable energies.

Our work focuses on:

• Investigation and further development of vanadium redox flow systems, focusing on the active surfaces of electrode materials (carbon fibre felts), specialised designs of such electrode felts to improve system efficiency, and improvements to process engineering to enhance system efficiency.
• Characterisation and testing of key components of PEM water electrolysers (e.g. porous transport layers, membrane-electrode assemblies), with a focus on the development of diagnostic methods, short-term performance tests and long-term tests to identify ageing processes.