Scientists from Australia and China have jointly developed a revolutionary non-toxic water-based aluminum radical battery. This is the first invention of its kind in the world that could have significant implications for the future of the energy industry, writes the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS).
Aluminum ion batteries (AIBs) are currently attracting significant attention from scientists due to their potential low cost and availability. Aluminum, the third most abundant element in the earth’s crust (8.1 percent), is the main component of these batteries, making them more cost effective than other energy sources. However, in addition to the economic benefits, aluminum-ion batteries also have a high energy density, which means that they are able to store more energy per unit volume.
One of the main problems faced by aluminum-ion batteries is the slow transfer of Al3+ ions, resulting in poor cathode efficiency. To solve this problem, researchers use polymers with alternating donor and acceptor components as cathodes. However, in some cases, these polymers may have insufficient stability and low electrical conductivity, which limits their application.
While investigating the behavior of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidyl-1-oxy (TEMPO) in organic and aqueous electrolytes, the researchers sought to prove the feasibility of a safe and efficient aluminum radical battery. TEMPO is an organic compound that can be used as an anode in such batteries.
As a result of the study, it was found that disproportionation in organic electrolytes containing Al(OTf)3 can be a reversible process upon transition to an aqueous medium. This discovery was significant as it allowed for the first water-based aluminum-ion battery design. Lenta.ru.
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