The demand for batteries in electric vehicles such as private, public and commercial transportation (cars, buses, trucks) is increasing, so people began to develop aluminum ion batteries to meet the demand. Electric vehicles require a large amount of power to operate normally, which puts high demands on the battery, resulting in the battery must be able to carry out rapid and violent electrochemical reactions to drive external power (such as motors, electronic equipment, etc.). However, such reactions in turn will cause great mechanical pressure and thermal stress on the battery. Current battery technology uses liquids as electrolytes. Such media help to transfer ions from one electrode to another, but such electrolytes are composed of organic molecules and are extremely flammable and volatile. Therefore, it leads to a higher safety risk of explosion, fire, exhaust or failure of the battery of the electric vehicle.
According to foreign media reports, the Hosein Research Group of Syracuse University in the United States has developed a new type of solid electrolyte to replace the current liquid electrolyte in aluminum ion batteries, so that it can meet the needs of automobiles, etc. High demand applications. The electrolyte consists of a very soft polymer and a very hard epoxy resin. The polymer also allows aluminum ions to penetrate, while the epoxy resin provides thermal stability and durability. The polymer is converted into an aluminum ion electrolyte by dissolving aluminum salts (such as aluminum nitrate) into the polymer matrix.
At present, the Hussein research team is actively working on the manufacture of all-solid aluminum ion batteries. All components of the battery, including the electrolyte, are solid, which will help to incorporate aluminum ion batteries into high-demand applications such as automobiles.
Aluminum ion battery is a promising next-generation battery technology that can meet future energy transmission needs. The structure is the same as lithium ion, but lithium is replaced by aluminum. Aluminum is the third most abundant element in the earth's crust and a very cheap alternative to lithium metal. A battery made of aluminum has the highest voltage, can store the most energy, and provides the highest current. Its storage capacity is 4 times that of a lithium-ion battery, and it carries three times the charge of a lithium-ion battery.
While lithium accounts for only 0.7% of the earth ’s crust, people are increasingly worried about whether lithium-ion batteries can meet the growing global demand, and their rising costs and high scarcity also force people to start searching and research and development.
