High performance, low-cost rechargeable aluminum ion battery using Nb₂CTx-MoS₂ composite cathode

Abstract

Aluminum-ion batteries are among the promising low-cost researchable batteries with huge potential, due to their three-electron redox process, high theoretical capacity, and better safety compared to lithium-ion batteries. However, the reported capacity and cyclic stability still fall short of their theoretical values. This could be due to cathodic degradation, lattice distortion of working material, and anodic corrosion. To address these issues, Nb₂CTx-MoS₂ composite cathodes were fabricated using Nb₂CTx synthesized using the (HF-Free) green method and were further modified with MoS₂ by hydrothermal process. Pouch cell (2 × 2 inches) was assembled employing Nb₂CTx-MoS₂ composite as a cathode and aluminum film (0.01 mm) as an anode in AlCl₃/[BMIm]Cl (1.5) ionic liquid electrolyte. The modified cathode showed a specific capacity of ~350 mAh/g at a current density of 100 mA/g. The cell was able to retain nearly 98% of its coulombic efficiency after 500 cycles.

Keywords

Aluminum-ion battery / composite cathode / specific capacity / coulombic efficiency

References

[1] Chayambuka K,Danilov DL.From Li-ion batteries toward Na-ion chemistries: challenges and opportunities.Adv Energy Mater2020;10:2001310

[2] Fan E,Wang Z.Sustainable recycling technology for Li-ion batteries and beyond: challenges and future prospects.Chem Rev2020;120:7020-63

[3] Zhou Q,Wang D.Cathode materials in non-aqueous aluminum-ion batteries: progress and challenges.Ceram Int2020;46:26454-65

[4] Ponnada S,Krishnapriya R,Sharma RK.Lithium-free batteries: needs and challenges.Energy Fuels2022;36:6013-26

[5] Nayem SM, Ahmad A, Shaheen Shah S, Saeed Alzahrani A, Saleh Ahammad AJ, Aziz MA. High performance and long-cycle life rechargeable aluminum ion battery: recent progress, perspectives and challenges.Chem Record2022;22:e202200181

[6] Ma D,Li H.Progress of advanced cathode materials of rechargeable aluminum-ion batteries.Energy Mater Adv2024;5:0088

[7] Raić M,Jerman I,Bitenc J.Amide-based Al electrolytes and their application in Al metal anode-organic batteries.J Power Sources2024;624:235575

[8] Wu Y,Tsai T.Unveiling the reaction mechanism of aluminum and its alloy anode in aqueous aluminum cells.ACS Appl Energy Mater2024;7:3957-67

[9] Wang H,Bai Y.Anion-effects on electrochemical properties of ionic liquid electrolytes for rechargeable aluminum batteries.J Mater Chem A2015;3:22677-86

[10] Macfarlane DR,Howlett PC.Ionic liquids and their solid-state analogues as materials for energy generation and storage.Nat Rev Mater2016;1:15005

[11] Liu T,Zhao EW,Garcia-Araez N.Current challenges and routes forward for nonaqueous lithium-air batteries.Chem Rev2020;120:6558-625

[12] Hu Y,Rao AM.Cyclic-anion salt for high-voltage stable potassium-metal batteries.Natl Sci Rev2022;9:nwac134 PMCID:PMC9522405

[13] Ng KL,Wang Y,Azimi G.Fundamental insights into electrical and transport properties of chloroaluminate ionic liquids for aluminum-ion batteries.J Phys Chem C2021;125:15145-54

[14] Pastel GR,Pollard TP.A sobering examination of the feasibility of aqueous aluminum batteries.Energy Environ Sci2022;15:2460-9

[15] Jayaprakash N,Archer LA.The rechargeable aluminum-ion battery.Chem Commun2011;47:12610

[16] Zhang Y,Ji Y,Yu H.Emerging nonaqueous aluminum-ion batteries: challenges, status, and perspectives.Adv Mater2018;30:e1706310

[17] Ates M,Yoruk O,Turkyilmaz M.Reliability of electrode materials for supercapacitors and batteries in energy storage applications: a review.Ionics2022;28:27-52

[18] Wang S,Pigeot-rémy S.Anatase TiO₂ nanorods as cathode materials for aluminum-ion batteries.ACS Appl Nano Mater2019;2:6428-35

[19] Zhao Z,Jiao R.Tailoring multi-layer architectured FeS₂@C hybrids for superior sodium-, potassium- and aluminum-ion storage.Energy Storage Mater2019;22:228-34

[20] Li S,Zhang GH,Jiao S.NiCo₂S₄ nanosheet with hexagonal architectures as an advanced cathode for Al-ion batteries.J Electrochem Soc2018;165:A3504

[21] Yang W,Cao Y,Deng Y.Flexible free-standing MoS₂/carbon nanofibers composite cathode for rechargeable aluminum-ion batteries.ACS Sustain Chem Eng2019;7:4861-7

[22] Geng L,Fu C,Fokwa BPT.Titanium sulfides as intercalation-type cathode materials for rechargeable aluminum batteries.ACS Appl Mater Interfaces2017;9:21251-7

[23] Xing W,Cai T.Layered double hydroxides derived NiCo-sulfide as a cathode material for aluminum ion batteries.Electrochim Acta2020;344:136174

[24] Wang S,Wang J.High-performance aluminum-ion battery with CuS@C microsphere composite cathode.ACS Nano2017;11:469-77

[25] Pan WD,Wang MY.Non-aqueous Al-ion batteries: cathode materials and corresponding underlying ion storage mechanisms.Rare Metals2022;41:762-74

[26] Yuan D,Wu Z.Atomically thin materials for next-generation rechargeable batteries.Chem Rev2022;122:957-99

[27] VahidMohammadi A,Shahbazmohamadi S.Two-dimensional vanadium carbide (MXene) as a high-capacity cathode material for rechargeable aluminum batteries.ACS Nano2017;11:11135-44

[28] Zhao J,Bai L.One-step synthesis of few-layer niobium carbide MXene as a promising anode material for high-rate lithium ion batteries.Dalton Trans2019;48:14433-9

[29] Li J,El-Demellawi JK.Nb₂CT_x MXene cathode for high-capacity rechargeable aluminum batteries with prolonged cycle lifetime.ACS Appl Mater Interfaces2022;14:45254-62

[30] Tan B,Luo W,Dong R.A novel MoS₂-MXene composite cathode for aluminum-ion batteries.Energy Fuels2021;35:12666-70

[31] Mahar N,Al-saadi AA.Synthesis of vanadium carbide MXene with improved inter-layer spacing for SERS-based quantification of anti-cancer drugs.Appl Surface Sci2023;607:155034

[32] Ikram M,Ali S.2D-materials for energy harvesting and storage applications. 2022.

[33] Yu Z,Wang C.A rechargeable Al/graphite battery based on AlCl₃/1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid electrolyte.ChemistrySelect2019;4:3018-24

[34] Nahian MK.Electrical conductivity and species distribution of aluminum chloride and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid electrolytes.J Phys Org Chem2023;36:e4549

[35] Zheng Y,Wang Q,Lu X.Density, viscosity, and conductivity of lewis acidic 1-butyl- and 1-hydrogen-3-methylimidazolium chloroaluminate ionic liquids.J Chem Eng Data2013;58:32-42

[36] Chen C,Zhao Y,Zhao L.Al-Intercalated MnO₂ cathode with reversible phase transition for aqueous Zn-Ion batteries.Chem Eng J2021;422:130375

[37] Yuan Z,Li Y,Wang L.Effects of multiple ion reactions based on a CoSe₂/MXene cathode in aluminum-ion batteries.Adv Mater2023;35:e2211527

[38] Angell M,Rong Y.High coulombic efficiency aluminum-ion battery using an AlCl₃-urea ionic liquid analog electrolyte.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA2017;114:834-9 PMCID:PMC5293044

[39] Xu H,Chen H.Low-cost AlCl₃/Et₃NHCl electrolyte for high-performance aluminum-ion battery.Energy Storage Mater2019;17:38-45

[40] Seong WM,Lee MH,Kang K.Unveiling the intrinsic cycle reversibility of a LiCoO₂ electrode at 4.8-V cutoff voltage through subtractive surface modification for lithium-ion batteries.Nano Lett2019;19:29-37

[41] Nölle R,Holtstiege F,Placke T.A reality check and tutorial on electrochemical characterization of battery cell materials: how to choose the appropriate cell setup.Mater Today2020;32:131-46

[42] Chen C,Anasori B.MoS₂-on-MXene heterostructures as highly reversible anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.Angew Chem Int Ed2018;57:1846-50

[43] Zhu N,Wu F,Wu C.Ionic liquid-based electrolytes for aluminum/magnesium/sodium-ion batteries.Energy Mater Adv2021;2021:9204217

[44] Li Z,Liu J,Kang F.Rechargeable aluminum-ion battery based on MoS₂ microsphere cathode.ACS Appl Mater Interfaces2018;10:9451-9

[45] Shen X,Yang L.Ultra-fast charging in aluminum-ion batteries: electric double layers on active anode.Nat Commun2021;12:820 PMCID:PMC7864900

[46] Zheng L,Bai Y.Multielectron reaction of AlCl_n in borophene for rechargeable aluminum batteries.Energy Mater Adv2022;2022:0005

[47] Pradhan D.Mechanistic study of Al electrodeposition from EMIC-AlCl₃ and BMIC-AlCl₃ electrolytes at low temperature.Mater Chem Phys2014;143:564-9

[48] Elterman V,Yolshina L.Features of aluminum electrodeposition from 1,3-dialkylimidazolium chloride chloroaluminate ionic liquids.J Mol Liq2022;351:118693

[49] Shen X,Wu Z.Ultrafast charging and ultralong cycle life in solid-state Al-ion batteries.J Mater Chem A2022;10:8178-85