New MXene composite extends aluminium battery life and cuts material loss

A team of researchers in Bengaluru is trying to fix a problem that has held aluminium batteries back for years, they don’t last very long.

The work was led by Kavita Pandey from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, along with collaborators from Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence.

Aluminium is often considered a potential alternative to lithium-ion batteries because it is widely available, low-cost and can store more charge per atom. However, its use has been limited by the way battery materials degrade over repeated charging and discharging cycles.

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A lot of this comes down to the cathode material, usually vanadium oxide. It works, but not for long. In water-based systems, it slowly dissolves into the electrolyte. Cracks form as well. Over time, the battery just loses its ability to hold charge.

So what the researchers did was try something slightly different. They combined vanadium oxide with another material called MXene. It’s extremely thin and conducts electricity well.

MXene helps hold the active material in place and supports the movement of aluminium ions during battery operation.

The numbers show the difference. Dissolution of vanadium dropped from 28.3 ppm to 5.4 ppm. 

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For performance, the battery kept more than 73 per cent of its capacity after 100 cycles, and around 59 per cent even after 500 cycles. Normally, it would degrade much faster.

The team also tried to understand why this is happening. Imaging techniques suggested the structure stays more stable during use. Less cracking, basically.

Simulations showed that MXene changes how aluminium ions move inside the material. They settle more easily, and that reduces stress on the structure. It also helps charge move better through the system.

The findings were published in the Journal of Power Sources. If this kind of approach works at scale, aluminium batteries could start becoming a real alternative, especially where cost and safety matter more than cutting-edge performance.

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