A Carbon Aerogel Lightweight Al Battery for Fast Storage of Fluctuating Energy

Abstract

Al batteries have great potential for renewable energy storage owing to their low cost, high capacity, and safety. High energy density and adaptability to fluctuating electricity are major challenges. Here, a lightweight Al battery for fast storage of fluctuating energy is constructed based on a novel hierarchical porous dendrite‐free carbon aerogel film (CAF) anode and an integrated graphite composite carbon aerogel film (GCAF) cathode. A new induced mechanism by the O‐containing functional groups on the CAF anode is con‐firmed for uniform Al deposition. The GCAF cathode possesses a higher mass utilization ratio due to the extremely high loading mass (9.5–10.0 mg cm−2) of graphite materials compared to conventional coated cathodes. Meanwhile, the volume expansion of the GCAF cathode is almost negligible, resulting in better cycling stability. The lightweight CAF‖GCAF full battery can adapt well to large and fluctuating current densities owing to its hierarchical porous structure. A large discharge capacity (115.6 mAh g−1) after 2000 cycles and a short charge time (7.0 min) at a high current density are obtained. The construction strategy of lightweight Al batteries based on carbon aerogel electrodes can promote the breakthrough of high‐energy‐density Al batteries adapted to the fast storage of fluctuating renewable energy.

Demonstration of the threshold-switching memory devices using EMIm(AlCl3)Cl and ZnO for neuromorphic applications

“…To demonstrate the artificial synapses based on the Al 3+ ions, the EMIm(AlCl 3 )Cl was employed for the electrolyte. The EMIm(AlCl 3 )Cl is one of the typical aluminum(III) sources, which comprises polymeric cation, aluminum(III), and chloride ions [24][25][26][27][28]. The AlCl 3 was employed as an aluminum(III) source because of the better stability with respect to Br − and I − containing -.…”

Recent progress in aluminum anodes for high-performance rechargeable aqueous Al-ion batteries

“…Lv et al constructed a lightweight AIB for fast storage of fluctuating energy based on a novel hierarchical porous dendrite-free carbon aerogel film (CAF) anode and an integrated graphite composite carbon aerogel film (GCAF) cathode. 71 The oxygen-containing functional groups induced the uniform deposition of aluminum on the CAF anode. Owing to the extremely high loading mass (9.5–10.0 mg cm −2 ) of the graphite material, the GCAF cathode has a higher mass utilization compared with the conventional coated cathode.…”

Wet-Stable Lamellar Wood Sponge with High Elasticity and Fatigue Resistance Enabled by Chemical Cross-Linking

“…As a class of lightweight material with a highly porous threedimensional (3D) network structure, aerogels or foams hold great promise in various applications, including thermal insulation, 1−3 pollutant adsorption, 4,5 catalyst support, 6 strain/pressure sensors, 7−9 and energy storage. 10,11 So far, various aerogel materials have been developed from diverse building blocks such as silica, 12−14 graphene oxide, 7,15,16 carbon nanotubes (CNTs), 17,18 and synthetic polymers. 3,19 Nevertheless, the mechanical fragility of silica aerogels and environmental concerns associated with the use of synthetic polymers as well as the high cost of emerging carbon aerogels are motivating the increasing exploitation of sustainable biomass-based aerogels.…”

“…As a class of lightweight material with a highly porous three-dimensional (3D) network structure, aerogels or foams hold great promise in various applications, including thermal insulation, − pollutant adsorption, , catalyst support, strain/pressure sensors, − and energy storage. , So far, various aerogel materials have been developed from diverse building blocks such as silica, − graphene oxide, ,, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), , and synthetic polymers. , Nevertheless, the mechanical fragility of silica aerogels and environmental concerns associated with the use of synthetic polymers as well as the high cost of emerging carbon aerogels are motivating the increasing exploitation of sustainable biomass-based aerogels. Among them, nanocellulose-based aerogels using abundant and sustainable cellulose as the raw material have gained significant interest owing to their high porosity and large specific surface area (SSA) coupled with the excellent properties of cellulose itself. − Nanocellulose aerogels are often fabricated based on a bottom-up approach, which requires the disassembly of plant cell walls into cellulose nanofibrils followed by structural reassembly into aerogels.…”