U.S University team designs aluminium-ion batteries with graphene electrode

Clemson University Researchers in the U.S has made a breakthrough in Aluminium-ion battery (AIB). They have designed a prototype Aluminum-ion battery (AIB) that uses a graphene electrode to intercalate tetrachloroaluminate (AlCl4–).

Aluminum-ion batteries are gaining quick ground as an alternative to Li-ion battery systems.  But there are a number of hurdles in implementing it practically. In case of LIBs, the mobile ion is Li+, but, aluminium forms a complex with chloride in most electrolytes and generates an anionic mobile charge carrier, usually AlCl4– or Al2Cl7–. The University's Nanomaterials Institute team have explained the intercalation mechanism of the AlCl4– anion in graphene electrodes, and gives an insight into the influence of defects and doping on the intercalation process.

The team made batteries with aluminium anodes, pristine or modified FLG cathodes, and an ionic liquid with AlCl3 salt as the electrolyte. With pristine FLG cathode, the battery achieved a capacity of over 70 mAh/g for 1000 cycles. The modern Li-ion batteries typically store about twice the charge in comparison. However, the performance was impressive considering the extremely high charging/discharging rates that were achieved, with a full charge–discharge cycle taking less than three minutes.

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The robustness of the pristine FLG helped in this exceptional reversibility. The researchers also tested the effectiveness of the battery by inducing various defects into the FLG. This experiment displays the successful design of AIBs with graphene, and demonstrates that this battery configuration can perform well over 1000 cycles at high rates of charge and discharge.