Issue 45, 2018

Influence of the electrode nano/microstructure on the electrochemical properties of graphite in aluminum batteries

Abstract

Herein we report on a detailed investigation of the irreversible capacity in the first cycle of pyrolytic graphite electrodes in aluminum batteries employing 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride:aluminum trichloride (EMIMCl:AlCl3) as electrolyte. The reaction mechanism, involving the intercalation of AlCl4 in graphite, has been fully characterized by correlating the micro/nanostructural modification to the electrochemical performance. To achieve this aim a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and computed tomography (CT) has been used. The reported results evidence that the irreversibility is caused by a very large decrease in the porosity, which consequently leads to microstructural changes resulting in the trapping of ions in the graphite. A powerful characterization methodology is established, which can also be applied more generally to carbon-based energy-related materials.

Graphical abstract: Influence of the electrode nano/microstructure on the electrochemical properties of graphite in aluminum batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 Aug 2018
Accepted
12 Oct 2018
First published
12 Oct 2018
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2018,6, 22673-22680

Influence of the electrode nano/microstructure on the electrochemical properties of graphite in aluminum batteries

G. Greco, D. Tatchev, A. Hoell, M. Krumrey, S. Raoux, R. Hahn and G. A. Elia, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2018, 6, 22673 DOI: 10.1039/C8TA08319C

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