Neutral Red and Ferroin as Reversible and Rapid Redox Materials for Redox Flow Batteries

Neutral red and ferroin are used as redox indicators (RINs) in potentiometric titrations. The rapid response and reversibility that are prerequisites for RINs are also desirable properties for the active materials in redox flow batteries (RFBs). This study describes the electrochemical properties of ferroin and neutral red as a redox pair. The rapid reaction rates of the RINs allow a cell to run at a rate of 4 C with 89 % capacity retention after the 100th cycle. The diffusion coefficients, electrode reaction rates, and solubilities of the RINs were determined. The electron‐transfer rate constants of ferroin and neutral red are 0.11 and 0.027 cm s−1, respectively, which are greater than those of the components of all‐vanadium and Zn/Br2 cells. Speed it up! Redox indicators respond rapidly in the operation of redox flow batteries (RFBs). The reaction rates of ferroin and neutral red are greater than those of materials in Zn/Br2 and all‐vanadium RFBs.