The benefits and limitations of electrolyte mixing in vanadium flow batteries

Highlights: •The benefits and limitations of electrolyte mixing method are studied in this work. •Different current densities and mix times are studied. •The VFB cycle number increases from 145 to 598 at 160 mA cm⁻² by mixing the electrolytes. -- Abstract: Cycle life prolongation and discharge capacity regeneration have drawn enormous attention in the field of vanadium flow batteries (VFBs). Among all the methods, mixing the positive and negative electrolytes is the most efficient, but the study about the proper time and the effect of the mix method is relatively deficient. In this study, different mix times and current densities are chosen to explore the benefits and limitations of the mix method, also the mechanism of discharge capacity behavior is discussed. Through the mix method, not only the cycle number has been extended significantly, but also the voltage and energy efficiencies are recovered. Although the contribution of the mix method is restrained by the average valence of the mixed electrolytes, it can be alleviated by electrolysis. The mix method is economic, uncomplicated and can be employed in industrial applications.