Ultra-fast charging in aluminum-ion batteries: electric double layers on active anode

Authors

• Xuejing Shen, Dalian University of Technology,
• Tao Sun, Dalian University of Technology,
• Lei Yang, Dalian University of Technology
• Alexey Krasnoslobodtsev, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
• Renat F. Sabirianov, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
• Michael P. Sealy, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Wai-Ning Mei, University of Nebraska at OmahaFollow
• Zhanjun Wu, Dalian University of TechnologyFollow
• Li Tan, University of Nebraska - LincolnFollow

ORCID IDs

Xuejing Shen http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2577-8033

Lei Yang http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5318-0821

Zhanjun Wu http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6826-8626

Li Tan http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1510-6476

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2021

Citation

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS (2021) 12:820

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-21108-4

Comments

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License,

Abstract

With the rapid iteration of portable electronics and electric vehicles, developing high-capacity batteries with ultra-fast charging capability has become a holy grail. Here we report rechargeable aluminum-ion batteries capable of reaching a high specific capacity of 200 mAh g^−1. When liquid metal is further used to lower the energy barrier from the anode, fastest charging rate of 10⁴ C (duration of 0.35 s to reach a full capacity) and 500% more specific capacity under high-rate conditions are achieved. Phase boundaries from the active anode are believed to encourage a high-flux charge transfer through the electric double layers. As a result, cationic layers inside the electric double layers responded with a swift change in molecular conformation, but anionic layers adopted a polymer-like configuration to facilitate the change in composition.