A Stable Porous Aluminum Electrode with High Capacity for Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Batteries

A binder-free aluminum (Al) electrode was fabricated by electrodeposition on a three-dimensional copper foam (Cu-3D) or carbon fabric ((CF)-C-3D) from a mixed-halide ionic liquid. The strong adhesion, structural stability and interface compatibility between Al and Cu-3D facilitate high electrical conductivity and effectively alleviate large volume change. In a lithium-ion battery, the continuous, dendrite-free Al/Cu-3D electrode enables stable and reversible reactions, which delivered a first discharge capacity of 981 mAh g(-1) in a coin cell at 21 mA g(-1). It operates stably for at least 12 cycles with a discharge depth of about 1 mAh per cycle (7 h each) at the rate of 21 mA g(-1). The cycled Al/Cu-3D electrode maintains good interfacial stability and shows no shedding. In contrast to many nanostructured electrodes, the amount of Al can reach 30% of a solid Al electrode with an average conversion to Li0.71Al. The concept of porous 3D electrodes provides a good compromise between diffusion kinetics and the total amount of active metal available in a battery with alloying-type anodes and appears promising for application.

Automated summary

A binder-free aluminum electrode with strong adhesion and structural stability was fabricated on a three-dimensional copper foam or carbon fabric. The electrode showed high electrical conductivity and effectively alleviated large volume change. In a lithium-ion battery, the Al/Cu-3D electrode exhibited stable and reversible reactions, delivering a high discharge capacity and maintaining good interfacial stability. The concept of porous 3D electrodes with alloying-type anodes holds promise for battery applications.