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Synergistic air electrode combining carbon nanotube tissue and fluorinated graphite material in hybrid nonaqueous aluminum batteries

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Abstract

In a typical Al–air battery, the air cathode functions as a deposition substrate for discharge products while allowing O2 entrance. Herein, we present an air electrode that simultaneously allows two discharge processes. The function of the metal–air battery is enabled by using porous carbon nanotube (CNT)-based tissue substrates. In contrast, the fluorinated graphite (CFx) coating on the CNT substrate provides an additional discharge process, enhancing discharge capacity. Two CFx loadings are investigated, and their performances are compared with that of a pristine CNT tissue. Electrochemical evaluations, including half- and full-cell measurements, are performed to examine the effect of the coating layer thickness on the ability of the cell to function at high discharge rates. High CFx loadings improved the cell performance and increased discharge capacities (an increase of ~ 3 mAh cm−2 for the 0.1 mA cm−2 and ~ 5 mAh cm−2 for the 0.25 mA cm−2 evaluations) until reaching high discharge loads. When applying 0.5 mA cm−2, the additional layer restricts O2 access into the cell, preventing the metal–air battery from functioning as intended. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy are used to characterize the discharge products deposited on this unique electrode.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the support from the Israeli Science Foundation (ISF Grant #869/17), the Planning & Budgeting Committee/Israel Council for Higher Education (CHE), and the Fuel Choice Initiative (Israel Prime Minister Office) within the framework of “Israel National Research Center for Electrochemical Propulsion (INREP)” and the kind support by the Grand Technion Energy Program (GTEP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Material Science and Engineering, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003, Haifa, Israel

    Natasha Ronith Levy & Yair Ein-Eli

  2. Grand Technion Energy Program (GTEP), Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, 3200003, Haifa, Israel

    Yair Ein-Eli

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  1. Natasha Ronith Levy
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Correspondence to Yair Ein-Eli.

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This paper is our contribution, celebrating the 75th birthday of Gyuri (George), wishing him good health and high energy to keep up with his tireless scientific curiosity!

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Levy, N.R., Ein-Eli, Y. Synergistic air electrode combining carbon nanotube tissue and fluorinated graphite material in hybrid nonaqueous aluminum batteries. J Solid State Electrochem 25, 2759–2766 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-021-05070-1

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