The electrochemical behavior of TiO2-NTAs electrode in H+ and Al3+ coexistent aqueous solution

Recent progress in aqueous aluminum-ion batteries

Aqueous aluminum-ion batteries have many advantages such as their safety, environmental friendliness, low cost, high reserves and the high theoretical specific capacity of aluminum. So aqueous aluminum-ion batteries are potential substitute for lithium-ion batteries. In this paper, the current research status and development trends of cathode and anode materials and electrolytes for aqueous aluminum-ion batteries are described. Aiming at the problem of passivation, corrosion and hydrogen evolution reaction of aluminum anode and dissolution and irreversible change of cathode after cycling in aqueous aluminum-ion batteries. Solutions of different research routes such as ASEI (artificial solid electrolyte interphase), alloying, amorphization, elemental doping, electrolyte regulation, etc and different transformation mechanisms of anode and cathode materials during cycling have been summarized. Moreover, it looks forward to the possible research directions of aqueous aluminum-ion batteries in the future. We hope that this review can provide some insights and support for the design of more suitable electrode materials and electrolytes for aqueous aluminum-ion batteries.

Challenges and benefits of post-lithium-ion batteries

Post-Li-ion batteries based on Na, Mg, and Al offer substantial electrochemical and economic advantages in comparison with Li-ion batteries.

On the unsuspected role of multivalent metal ions on the charge storage of a metal oxide electrode in mild aqueous electrolytes

Insertion mechanisms of multivalent ions in transition metal oxide cathodes are poorly understood and subject to controversy and debate, especially when performed in aqueous electrolytes. To address this issue, we have here investigated the reversible reduction of nanostructured amorphous TiO2 electrodes by spectroelectrochemistry in mild aqueous electrolytes containing either a multivalent metal salt as AlCl3 or a weak organic acid as acetic acid. Our results show that the reversible charge storage in TiO2 is thermodynamically and kinetically indistinguishable when carried out in either an Al3+- or acetic acid-based electrolyte, both leading under similar conditions of pH and concentrations to an almost identical maximal charge storage of ∼115 mA h g-1. These observations are in agreement with a mechanism where the inserting/deinserting cation is the proton and not the multivalent metal cation. Analysis of the data also demonstrates that the proton source is the Brønsted weak acid present in the aqueous electrolyte, i.e. either the acetic acid or the aquo metal ion complex generated from solvation of Al3+ (i.e. [Al(H2O)6]3+). Such a proton-coupled charge storage mechanism is also found to occur with other multivalent metal ions such as Zn2+ and Mn2+, albeit with a lower efficiency than Al3+, an effect we have attributed to the lower acidity of [Zn(H2O)6]2+ and [Mn(H2O)6]2+. These findings are of fundamental importance because they shed new light on previous studies assuming reversible Al3+-insertion into metal oxides, and, more generally, they highlight the unsuspected proton donor role played by multivalent metal cations commonly involved in rechargeable aqueous batteries.

An Overview and Future Perspectives of Aluminum Batteries

A critical overview of the latest developments in the aluminum battery technologies is reported. The substitution of lithium with alternative metal anodes characterized by lower cost and higher abundance is nowadays one of the most widely explored paths to reduce the cost of electrochemical storage systems and enable long-term sustainability. Aluminum based secondary batteries could be a viable alternative to the present Li-ion technology because of their high volumetric capacity (8040 mAh cm(-3) for Al vs 2046 mAh cm(-3) for Li). Additionally, the low cost aluminum makes these batteries appealing for large-scale electrical energy storage. Here, we describe the evolution of the various aluminum systems, starting from those based on aqueous electrolytes to, in more details, those based on non-aqueous electrolytes. Particular attention has been dedicated to the latest development of electrolytic media characterized by low reactivity towards other cell components. The attention is then focused on electrode materials enabling the reversible aluminum intercalation-deintercalation process. Finally, we touch on the topic of high-capacity aluminum-sulfur batteries, attempting to forecast their chances to reach the status of practical energy storage systems.

Reversible intercalation of aluminium into vanadium pentoxide xerogel for aqueous rechargeable batteries

Rechargeable batteries based on the intercalation of aluminium ions may be competitive against lithium-ion batteries, but their development and comprehension are full of difficulties.