Ultra-fast charging in aluminum-ion batteries: electric double layers on active anode

Abstract

With the rapid iteration of portable electronics and electric vehicles, developing high-capacity batteries with ultra-fast charging capability has become a holy grail. Here we report rechargeable aluminum-ion batteries capable of reaching a high specific capacity of 200 mAh g−1. When liquid metal is further used to lower the energy barrier from the anode, fastest charging rate of 104 C (duration of 0.35 s to reach a full capacity) and 500% more specific capacity under high-rate conditions are achieved. Phase boundaries from the active anode are believed to encourage a high-flux charge transfer through the electric double layers. As a result, cationic layers inside the electric double layers responded with a swift change in molecular conformation, but anionic layers adopted a polymer-like configuration to facilitate the change in composition.

Foldable batteries: from materials to devices

“…Multi-valent batteries such as Zn or Al-ion batteries have attracted great interest due to low-cost, high-power density, and high capacity. 155,156 Compared with Li-and Na-ion batteries, multi-valent batteries can have double or triple capacities for the same number of ions because the number of ions that react at the electrodes decreases within the electrolyte when we substitute M + with M n+ (n ¼ 2 and 3) charge carriers. 157 In addition, multi-valent metals such as Zn, Ca, Mg or Al are abundant in nature.…”

A rechargeable aqueous manganese-ion battery based on intercalation chemistry

“…Compared with Zn and Fe, Al possesses lower theoretical reduction potential (−1.66 V vs. SHE). However, in fact, the practical reduction potential at Al anode is only around −0.7 V vs. SHE in aqueous Al-ion batteries (AIBs), which would be ascribed to the large polarization of Al anodes 13 – 16 . As a result, the discharge voltages of aqueous AIBs are also limited 17 , 18 .…”

Electrodeposition of a dendrite‐free 3D Al anode for improving cycling of an aluminum–graphite battery

“…Alloying of the Al metal with other elements, such as Al-Zn, Al-Cu, and Al-Ga, has been demonstrated to effectively alleviate the passivating oxide layer, resulting in a lower-energy-barrier interface and accomplishing the excellent Al plating/stripping electrochemical properties. [21][22][23][24] The treated Al anode by soaking or electroetching has shown particular interfacial chemistry with improved performance. 14,19,20 Although these studies have optimized the Al metal anodes, altering the planar nature of the Al anodes, which are vulnerable to dendritic and inhomogeneous deposition, is difficult.…”

“…Several strategies have been proposed to optimize the metallic Al anodes and to address these problems. Alloying of the Al metal with other elements, such as Al–Zn, Al–Cu, and Al–Ga, has been demonstrated to effectively alleviate the passivating oxide layer, resulting in a lower‐energy‐barrier interface and accomplishing the excellent Al plating/stripping electrochemical properties 21–24 . The treated Al anode by soaking or electroetching has shown particular interfacial chemistry with improved performance 14,19,20 .…”