Boosting Aqueous Batteries by Conversion-Intercalation Graphite Cathode Chemistry

Abstract

In their recent publication in Nature, Kang Xu, Chunsheng Wang, and co-authors reported for the first time on a novel halogen conversion-intercalation graphite cathode chemistry for the development of high-energy aqueous batteries. As evidenced by experimental works and modeling, a densely packed stage-1 graphite intercalation compound (GIC) with a stoichiometry of C3.5[Br0.5Cl0.5] is reversibly formed in a water-in-bisalt (WiBS) electrolyte, enabling an outstandingly high specific cathode capacity of 243 mAh g−1 at an average potential of 4.2 V versus Li/Li+.