The electrolyte intercalation mechanism facilitates the
insertion
and extraction of charge into the electrode material in rechargeable
batteries. Aluminum fluoride (AlF3) has been used as an
electrolyte in rechargeable aluminum batteries with graphite electrodes,
demonstrating improved reversibility of battery charging and discharging
processes; however, the intercalation mechanism of this neutral molecule
in graphite is so far unknown. In this work, we combine scanning tunneling
microscopy (STM) in ultrahigh vacuum conditions, calculations based
on density functional theory, and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations
to reveal the mechanism of AlF3 intercalation in highly
oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). We report the formation of AlF3 molecule clusters between graphite layers and their self-assembly
by graphene buckling-mediated interactions and explain the origin
and distribution of superficial blisters in the material.
Our findings have implications for understanding the relationship
between the mobility and clustering of molecules and the expansion
of the anode material. This, in turn, paves the way for future enhancements
in the performance of energy storage systems.