Dataset for "Methodology for fast testing of carbon-based nanostructured 3D electrodes in vanadium redox flow battery"

Here, we describe a technique for integrating carbon-based rod-like nanomaterials into a vanadium redox flow battery and a methodology for fast nanomaterial performance testing. The technique is based on creating a fixed nanomaterial bed sandwiched between two graphite felt electrodes, forming a 3D flow-through electrode in the battery. Performing various positive and negative control experiments, we show the beneficial effect of a nanostructured bed on the primary battery characteristics obtained from short-term electrochemical experiments. We then characterize carbon nanotubes exhibiting promising electrochemical behavior in vanadium electrolytes, as observed in our previous study. The load curves obtained from charge-discharge steps at various current densities and electrolyte flow rates revealed considerable differences in the performance of the tested materials, with few-walled carbon nanotubes reaching unsurpassable characteristics. Although developed for vanadium redox flow batteries, the method enables testing tube-like and rod-like (nano-)materials as electrodes for other flow battery systems.