Sustainable Energy System Optimization
Advancing high-efficiency energy storage system through structural synergy and advanced materials for VRFB
Study 1: Pseudo-channel CP Electrode
Study 2: Integrated BP-Electrode Structure
Study 3: Stiffness Gradient Carbon Felt
Study 4: Aligned CNT Bipolar Plate
Situation
- System-level energy efficiency enhancement via architectural re-engineering
- Architectural Synergy: Leveraging technical compatibility between PEMFC and VRFB (Electrode-Membrane-Bipolar Plate).
- Efficiency Breakthrough: Overcoming stagnant energy efficiency via novel system-level re-engineering.
Task
- Optimization of system-level energy efficiency by re-engineering component architectures.
• Electrodes: Low reaction site density from insufficient fiber volume fractions.• Bipolar Plates (BPs): High interfacial contact resistance and deficient through-thickness conductivity.
Action & Results
From individual part fabrication to full-cell validation: Synergizing advanced materials and structural engineering.
| ID | Focus Area | Strategic Approach | Key Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Study 1 | Electrode Morphology | Fabrication of holey-patterned carbon paper electrodes to induce pseudo-channel effects. | +10.41% Energy Efficiency |
| Study 2 | Interfacial Integration | Design of contact-resistance-free integrated BP-electrode structures by eliminating mechanical interfaces. | +3.0% System Efficiency |
| Study 3 | Stiffness Gradient | Development of stiffness-gradient electrodes to optimize local compression and porosity distribution. | 86.5% Peak EE Benchmark |
| Study 4 | Nano-composite BP | Synthesis of horizontally aligned CNT nanocomposite bipolar plates for enhanced conductivity. | -40% Potential Drop |
Summary: Verified superior system-level reliability through direct cell assembly and electrochemical testing.
Project Information
- Project Name: Light Weight HT-PEMFC and VRFB
- Category: Energy Storage
- Client: EEWS (Energy, Environment, Water, and Sustainability) at KAIST
- Software Stack: COMSOL Multiphysics, SOLIDWORKS, ANSYS Fluent
Publications
PAPER
Energy & Environmental Materials 8.5 (2025): e70030.
Jeong, Jae-Moon, et al.
PAPER
Applied Materials Today 35 (2023): 101928.
Jeong, Kwang Il, et al.
PAPER
Composites Part B: Engineering 233 (2022): 109657.
Jeong, Kwang Il, et al.
PAPER
Applied Materials Today 24 (2021): 101139.
Jeong, Jae-Moon, et al.