The electrochemical behavior of an aluminum alloy anode for rechargeable Al-ion batteries using an AlCl₃-urea liquid electrolyte

Due to its characteristics of high capacity, low cost, being non-flammable, and involving a three-electron-redox reaction, the aluminum rechargeable battery has received wide attention. Because of these advantages, we focus on a low-cost aluminum alloy anode and detect the discharge/charge reaction mechanism in the aluminum chloride-urea liquid electrolyte at 110-130 °C. The discharge voltage of the battery is about 1.9 V and 1.6 V, and at the current density of 100 mA g^-1 the cell can produce a specific capacity of ∼94 mA h g^-1. Compared to the pure aluminum anode, the system has a promising future for high efficiency, low-cost energy storage devices.