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

Shen, Xuejing; Sun, Tao; Yang, Lei; Krasnoslobodtsev, Alexey; Sabirianov, Renat; Sealy, Michael; Mei, Wai-Ning; Wu, Zhanjun et al. · Nat Commun · 2021

basic_science · Level V

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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<sup>-1</sup>. When liquid metal is further used to lower the energy barrier from the anode, fastest charging rate of 10<sup>4</sup> 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.