An operando X-ray diffraction study of chloroaluminate anion-graphite intercalation in aluminum batteries

Chun-Jern Pan; Chunze Yuan; Guanzhou Zhu; Qian Zhang; Chen-Jui Huang; Meng-Chang Lin; Michael Angell; Bing-Joe Hwang; Payam Kaghazchi; Hongjie Dai

doi:10.1073/pnas.1803576115

An operando X-ray diffraction study of chloroaluminate anion-graphite intercalation in aluminum batteries

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2018 May 29;115(22):5670-5675. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1803576115. Epub 2018 May 14.

Authors

Chun-Jern Pan^{1

2}, Chunze Yuan¹, Guanzhou Zhu¹, Qian Zhang³, Chen-Jui Huang², Meng-Chang Lin⁴, Michael Angell¹, Bing-Joe Hwang^{5

6}, Payam Kaghazchi⁷, Hongjie Dai⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305.
² Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan.
³ Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.
⁴ College of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Shandong University of Science and Technology, 266590 Qingdao, People's Republic of China.
⁵ Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan; [email protected] [email protected] [email protected].
⁶ National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, 30076 Hsinchu, Taiwan.
⁷ Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Freie Universität Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany; [email protected] [email protected] [email protected].
⁸ Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305; [email protected] [email protected] [email protected].

Abstract

We investigated rechargeable aluminum (Al) batteries composed of an Al negative electrode, a graphite positive electrode, and an ionic liquid (IL) electrolyte at temperatures down to -40 °C. The reversible battery discharge capacity at low temperatures could be superior to that at room temperature. In situ/operando electrochemical and synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments combined with theoretical modeling revealed stable AlCl₄^-/graphite intercalation up to stage 3 at low temperatures, whereas intercalation was reversible up to stage 4 at room temperature (RT). The higher-degree anion/graphite intercalation at low temperatures affords rechargeable Al battery with higher discharge voltage (up to 2.5 V, a record for Al battery) and energy density. A remarkable cycle life of >20,000 cycles at a rate of 6C (10 minutes charge time) was achievable for Al battery operating at low temperatures, corresponding to a >50-year battery life if charged/discharged once daily.

Keywords: aluminum batteries; energy storage; ionic liquids; low temperature; operando X-ray diffraction.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.