Aluminum-Air Batteries: Materials Related Research *
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Aluminum-Air Batteries: Materials Related Research* Arturo Maimoni Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Abstract The aluminum-air power cell is being developed as a power supply for general purpose electric vehicles because it can provide them with the range, acceleration performance, and rapid refueling capability of c u r r e n t internal combustion engine vehicles. This paper describes the general characteristics of the systems and the materials research effort sponsored by DOE to improve the characteristics of the air and aluminum electrodes.
potassium chloride solutions, or in an alkaline electrolyte, such as 4N sodium or potassium hydroxide. The reaction product in neutral solutions is a gelatinous aluminum-hydroxide precipitate; in alkaline solutions, it is sodium or potassium aluminate. A crystalline aluminum hydroxide is obtained from the alkaline supersaturated aluminate solution. The decomposition of aluminate regenerates the hydroxide:
NaAl(OH) 4 = A I ( O H ) 3 + N a O H . (3) Introduction The nature of the aluminum hydroxide The Office of Energy Storage and Dis- depends on the crystallization conditions. tribution, U.S. D e p a r t m e n t of Energy The main product obtained from concen(DOE), has supported research to develop trated alkaline solutions in the 60-80°C advanced battery systems for utility load t e m p e r a t u r e r a n g e is h y d r a r g i l l i t e leveling and electric vehicle propulsion. (gibbsite). Most of these systems are rechargeable or secondary batteries and include sodium- Neutral and Alkaline Electrolytes sulfur, zinc-chlorine, and zinc-bromine Although the neutral electrolyte battery systems. (See related article in the May /]une issueis a low-power density device, it is much of the BULLETIN, p.9.) Substantial advances simpler than the alkaline system and is in the performance of lead acid and nickel- approaching commercial development as a iron batteries have resulted from this lightweight reserve battery. It can be stored program. Also being supported are two indefinitely and activated by adding salt primary, nonrechargeable systems: fuel solution. After use, the electrolyte concells and the aluminum-air battery. taining the aluminum reaction product is Lawrence Livermore National Labora- discarded. The battery is rinsed and stored until the next use. Thus, it can be used for tory (LLNL) manages the aluminum-air lights and radio beacons; for recharging or power cell program for DOE. The Laboratory's industrial partner, Eltech Systems extending the range of conventional batCorporation (Fairport Harbor, OH) has formed a research consortium which includes Alcan Aluminum Ltd., Case Western Reserve University, University of Akron, and SRI International. The advantage of fuel cells and aluminum-air batteries over rechargeable batteries is that they alone can extend the operating range of electric vehicles. A leadacid battery-powered electric vehicle, for example, typically has a maximum range of only 100 miles. Fuel cells have received a great deal of support and are used
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