Characterization of the aluminium-air battery utilizing a polypropylene separator with corrosion inhibition ability

Abstract

Battery energy storage systems are widely used in modern electronic devices and electric vehicles. Metal-air batteries are among the electrochemical energy storage systems that provide high energy density and eco-friendly solutions. Aluminium-air batteries hold a significant advantage with their high theoretical specific energy and have the potential to replace lithium-ion batteries in the future. In this study, the electrical performance and corrosion inhibition characteristics of a polypropylene-based single and dual electrolyte system for aluminium-air batteries were investigated experimentally. The study revealed that a polypropylene separator can reduce the corrosion of the aqueous aluminium-air battery system by up to 40 %, improving the anodic utilization efficiency to 93 %. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis was used to characterize the single and dual electrolyte aluminium-air battery and propose equivalent circuit models. Compared to 1 M KOH electrolyte in a single electrolyte system, the solution resistance of a dual electrolyte aluminium-air battery was reduced by about 40 % using a combination of 1 M of KOH electrolyte and 1 M of H2SO4. This reduction is attributed to the enhancement of the oxygen reduction reaction at the air cathode. A high KOH electrolyte concentration will increase the corrosion of the aluminium anode but can improve the battery’s voltage. At 3 M KOH electrolyte, the plateau voltage is recorded at about 0.6 V while the discharge time reached 44 min when using aluminium alloy 6061 as the anode. The battery model developed in this work provides a fundamental basis for predicting the performance of aluminium-air battery packs.