Uniformly MXene‐Grafted Eutectic Aluminum‐Cerium Alloys as Flexible and Reversible Anode Materials for Rechargeable Aluminum‐Ion Battery

Abstract

Aluminum is an attractive anode material in aqueous multivalent-metal batteries for large-scale energy storage because of its high Earth abundance, low cost, high theoretic capacity, and safety. However, state-of-the-art aqueous aluminum-ion batteries based on aluminum anode persistently suffer from poor rechargeability and low coulombic efficiency due to irreversibility of aluminum stripping/plating and dendrite growth. Here eutectic aluminumcerium alloys in situ grafted with uniform ultrathin MXene (MXene/E-Al 97 Ce 3 ) as flexible, reversible, and dendrite-free anode materials for rechargeable aqueous aluminum-ion batteries is reported. As a result of the MXene serving as stable solid electrolyte interphase to inhibit side reactions and the lamellananostructured E-Al 97 Ce 3 enabling directional Al stripping and deposition by making use of symbiotic α-Al metal and intermetallic Al 11 Ce 3 lamellas, the MXene/E-Al 97 Ce 3 hybrid electrodes exhibit reversible and dendrite-free Al stripping/plating with low voltage polarization of ± 54 mV for ≥1000 h in a low-oxygen-concentration aqueous aluminum trifluoromethanesulfonate (Al(OTF) 3 ) electrolyte. These superior electrochemical properties endow softpackage aluminum-ion batteries assembled with MXene/E-Al 97 Ce 3 anode and Al x MnO 2 cathode to have high initial discharge capacity of ≈360 mAh g −1 at 1 A g −1 , and retain ≈85% after 500 cycles, along with the coulombic efficiency of as high as 99.5%.

3D-structured bifunctional MXene paper electrodes for protection and activation of Al metal anodes

“…This value is much higher than those of the previously reported aluminum-based energy storage devices. 12,53,54 Moreover, the cycling stabilities of the Al/ 2D-MPE//C 6 and Al/3D-BMPE//C 6 cells were well maintained over 500 cycles, whereas the Al/SSE//C 6 cells showed a drastic capacity drop aer a few cycles (Fig. 4f).…”

Li, Na, K, Mg, Zn, Al, and Ca Anode Interface Chemistries Developed by Solid‐State Electrolytes

“…In this context, several modified Al-anodes have been reported, such as Au-Al, Al 82 Cu 18 , ACNI/Al-15, Al 0.265 TiO 2 , MoO 3 , TiO 2 , Al 97 Ce 3 , MXene/E-Al 97 Ce 3 , organic or hybrid materials. [561][562][563] Theoretically AIBs are promising candidates, however, reported practical results are significantly out of scope for large-scale energy applications. Extensive efforts are critically required to develop new compatible cathodes, anodes, and electrolyte materials.…”

High Energy Density Aqueous Zinc–Chalcogen (S, Se, Te) Batteries: Recent Progress, Challenges, and Perspective

“…[7,8] Besides, the safety problems caused by the overactive lithium metal, also hinder their use stability in grid-scale energy storge applications. [9,10] Concerns surrounding their unfavorable prospect bring the ideas of utilizing and developing brand new types electrical-energy systems like the sodium-ion battery (NIB), [11][12][13][14][15] potassium-ion battery (KIB), [16][17][18][19] magnesium-ion battery, [20][21][22] aluminum-ion battery, [23,24] and particularly zinc-ion battery (ZIB). [25][26][27][28] In very recent years, the metal zinc (Zn), with multiple superiorities like ideal ionic conductivity in aqueous electrolyte, considerable volumetric capacity at a comparatively lower price, and so on, as indicated in Table 1, [29] begins to step onto the stage of battery development history.…”

“…[ 7,8 ] Besides, the safety problems caused by the overactive lithium metal, also hinder their use stability in grid‐scale energy storge applications. [ 9,10 ] Concerns surrounding their unfavorable prospect bring the ideas of utilizing and developing brand new types electrical‐energy systems like the sodium‐ion battery (NIB), [ 11–15 ] potassium‐ion battery (KIB), [ 16–19 ] magnesium‐ion battery, [ 20–22 ] aluminum‐ion battery, [ 23,24 ] and particularly zinc‐ion battery (ZIB). [ 25–28 ]…”