TY - JOUR
T1 - Ternary Ionic Liquid Analogues as Electrolytes for Ambient and Low-Temperature Rechargeable Aluminum Batteries
AU - Wang, Jonah
AU - Schoetz, Theresa
AU - Gordon, Leo W.
AU - Biddinger, Elizabeth J.
AU - Messinger, Robert J.
N1 - J.W., T.S., E.J.B., and R.J.M. gratefully acknowledge funding from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) via the NASA-CCNY Center for Advanced Batteries for Space under cooperative agreement 80NSSC19M0199. L.W.G. and R.J.M. thank the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) for support under the CAREER award CBET-1847552.
PY - 2024/7/8
Y1 - 2024/7/8
N2 - Rechargeable aluminum (Al) metal batteries are enticing for the coming generation of electrochemical energy storage systems due to the earth abundance, high energy density, inherent safety, and recyclability of Al metal. However, few electrolytes can reversibly electrodeposit Al metal, especially at low temperatures. In this study, Al electroplating and stripping were investigated from 25 °C to −40 °C in mixtures of aluminum chloride (AlCl3), 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride ([EMIm]Cl), and urea. The ternary ionic liquid analogue (ILA) consisting of AlCl3-urea-[EMIm]Cl in a molar ratio of 1.3:0.25:0.75 enabled reversible Al electrodeposition at temperatures as low as −40 °C while exhibiting the highest current density and the lowest overpotential among all of the electrolyte mixtures at 25 °C, including the AlCl3-[EMIm]Cl binary mixture. The ILA electrolyte was further tested in a rechargeable Al-graphite battery system down to −40 °C. The addition of urea to AlCl3-[EMIm]Cl binary mixtures can improve the Al electrodeposition, extend the liquid temperature window, and reduce the cost.
AB - Rechargeable aluminum (Al) metal batteries are enticing for the coming generation of electrochemical energy storage systems due to the earth abundance, high energy density, inherent safety, and recyclability of Al metal. However, few electrolytes can reversibly electrodeposit Al metal, especially at low temperatures. In this study, Al electroplating and stripping were investigated from 25 °C to −40 °C in mixtures of aluminum chloride (AlCl3), 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride ([EMIm]Cl), and urea. The ternary ionic liquid analogue (ILA) consisting of AlCl3-urea-[EMIm]Cl in a molar ratio of 1.3:0.25:0.75 enabled reversible Al electrodeposition at temperatures as low as −40 °C while exhibiting the highest current density and the lowest overpotential among all of the electrolyte mixtures at 25 °C, including the AlCl3-[EMIm]Cl binary mixture. The ILA electrolyte was further tested in a rechargeable Al-graphite battery system down to −40 °C. The addition of urea to AlCl3-[EMIm]Cl binary mixtures can improve the Al electrodeposition, extend the liquid temperature window, and reduce the cost.
KW - anionic redox
KW - cyclic voltammetry
KW - differential scanning calorimetry
KW - electrolyte phases
KW - liquid-state NMR spectroscopy
KW - multivalent-ion batteries
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U2 - 10.1021/acsaem.4c00739
DO - 10.1021/acsaem.4c00739
M3 - Article
C2 - 38994437
AN - SCOPUS:85196628478
SN - 2574-0962
VL - 7
SP - 5438
EP - 5446
JO - ACS Applied Energy Materials
JF - ACS Applied Energy Materials
IS - 13
ER -