Graphene: A Cathode Material of Choice for Aluminum-Ion Batteries

Abstract

The pairing of an aluminum anode with a cathode of high energy and power density determines the future of aluminum-ion battery technology. The question is-"Is there any suitable cathode material which is capable of storing sufficiently large amount of trivalent aluminum-ions at relatively higher operating potential?". Graphene emerges to be a fitting answer. Graphene emerged in the research arena of aluminum-ion battery merely three years ago. However, research progress in this front has since been tremendous. Outperforming all other known cathode materials, several remarkable breakthroughs have been made with graphene, in offering extraordinary energy density, power density, cycle life, thermal stability, safety and flexibility. The future of the Al-graphene couple is indeed bright. This Minireview highlights the electrochemical performances, advantages and challenges of using graphene as the cathode in aluminum-ion batteries in conjugation with chloroaluminate based electrolytes. Additionally, the complex mechanism of charge storage in graphene is also elaborated.

Keywords: aluminum-ion battery; chloroaluminate; energy storage; graphene.