Fast-charging aluminium–chalcogen batteries resistant to dendritic shorting

Quanquan Pang (), Jiashen Meng, Saransh Gupta, Xufeng Hong, Chun Yuen Kwok, Ji Zhao, Yingxia Jin, Like Xu, Ozlem Karahan, Ziqi Wang, Spencer Toll, Liqiang Mai, Linda F. Nazar, Mahalingam Balasubramanian, Badri Narayanan and Donald R. Sadoway ()
Additional contact information
Quanquan Pang: Peking University
Jiashen Meng: Peking University
Saransh Gupta: University of Louisville
Xufeng Hong: Peking University
Chun Yuen Kwok: University of Waterloo
Ji Zhao: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Yingxia Jin: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Like Xu: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ozlem Karahan: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ziqi Wang: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Spencer Toll: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Liqiang Mai: Wuhan University of Technology
Linda F. Nazar: University of Waterloo
Mahalingam Balasubramanian: Argonne National Laboratory
Badri Narayanan: University of Louisville
Donald R. Sadoway: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Nature, 2022, vol. 608, issue 7924, 704-711

Abstract: Abstract Although batteries fitted with a metal negative electrode are attractive for their higher energy density and lower complexity, the latter making them more easily recyclable, the threat of cell shorting by dendrites has stalled deployment of the technology1,2. Here we disclose a bidirectional, rapidly charging aluminium–chalcogen battery operating with a molten-salt electrolyte composed of NaCl–KCl–AlCl3. Formulated with high levels of AlCl3, these chloroaluminate melts contain catenated AlnCl3n+1– species, for example, Al2Cl7–, Al3Cl10– and Al4Cl13–, which with their Al–Cl–Al linkages confer facile Al3+ desolvation kinetics resulting in high faradaic exchange currents, to form the foundation for high-rate charging of the battery. This chemistry is distinguished from other aluminium batteries in the choice of a positive elemental-chalcogen electrode as opposed to various low-capacity compound formulations3–6, and in the choice of a molten-salt electrolyte as opposed to room-temperature ionic liquids that induce high polarization7–12. We show that the multi-step conversion pathway between aluminium and chalcogen allows rapid charging at up to 200C, and the battery endures hundreds of cycles at very high charging rates without aluminium dendrite formation. Importantly for scalability, the cell-level cost of the aluminium–sulfur battery is projected to be less than one-sixth that of current lithium-ion technologies. Composed of earth-abundant elements that can be ethically sourced and operated at moderately elevated temperatures just above the boiling point of water, this chemistry has all the requisites of a low-cost, rechargeable, fire-resistant, recyclable battery.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04983-9

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