Morphology regulation of Ga particles from ionic liquids and their lithium storage properties

Abstract

Gallium (Ga) electrodes have been used as anodes in Li-ion batteries, due to their low-melting-point and self-healing properties. However, the use of Ga without a binder or a conductive agent together as the anode material is rare. In this study, AlCl₃ was added as an additive to the electrolyte formed by [EMIm]Cl and GaCl₃. The obtained binder-free Ga particles were used as the anode of the Li-ion battery; the initial specific capacity was 528.2 mA h g⁻¹ and the initial coulombic efficiency was 97.8%. After 100 cycles, the specific capacity of discharge was 441.6 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.1C. Ga particles obtained from ionic liquids can be used to improve the cycling stability of anodes in lithium-ion batteries.