The role of gallium and indium in improving the electrochemical characteristics of Al–Mg–Sn-based alloy for Al–air battery anodes in 2 M NaCl solution

• Published in: Journal of materials science 2020-09, Vol.55 (25), p.11545-11560
• Main Authors: Wu, Zibin, Zhang, Haitao, Qin, Kunlun, Zou, Jing, Qin, Ke, Ban, Chunyan, Cui, Jianzhong, Nagaumi, Hiromi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alloys; Anodes; Anodic dissolution; Batteries; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Corrosion and anti-corrosives; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Discharge; Dissolution; Electrolytes; Energy Materials; Flux density; Gallium; Indium; Magnesium; Materials Science; Metal air batteries; Polymer Sciences; Saline water; Sodium chloride; Solid Mechanics; Specialty metals industry; Tin base alloys
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-020-04755-8

The electrochemical discharge behaviours of Al–0.5Mg–0.1Sn (wt%), Al–0.5Mg–0.1Sn–0.05In (wt%), Al–0.5Mg–0.1Sn–0.05Ga (wt%) and Al–0.5Mg–0.1Sn–0.05Ga–0.05In (wt%) alloys are investigated in 2 M NaCl solution. Based on electrochemical responses and microstructure observations, the influence mechanism of indium and gallium on the discharge behaviour of Al–Mg–Sn-based anode is clarified. The result indicates that Al–0.5Mg–0.1Sn–0.05Ga–0.05In (wt%) anode has the best discharge characteristics. Adding gallium accelerates active dissolution of Al–Mg–Sn anode. And adding indium leads to the appearance of discharge products (ie, In and In(OH) 3 ), which inhibits the self-corrosion reaction of the anode. The peak power and peak energy density of Al–0.5Mg–0.1Sn–0.05Ga–0.05In (wt%) anodes reach approximately 92.96 mW cm −2 (at 140 mA cm −2 ) and 3385.4 W h kg −1 (at 20 mA cm −2 ) in 2 M NaCl solution, which increases by 447% and 104% compared with that of Al–0.5Mg–0.1Sn (wt%) anodes, respectively. Therefore, Al–Mg–Sn–Ga–In anodes could be a good and promising choice for high-speed discharge Al–air batteries in brine electrolytes.