Molten Zinc Alloys for Lower Temperature, Lower Cost Liquid Metal Batteries. Issue 3 (27th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Holubowitch, Nicolas E.; Manek, Stephen E.; Landon, James; Lippert, Cameron A.; Odom, Susan A.; Liu, Kunlei
• Is Part Of: Advanced materials technologies. Volume 1:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2016-05-27
• Subjects: electrochemical energy storage -- liquid metal batteries -- molten salts -- stationary storage; Materials science -- Periodicals; Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Materials science; Technological innovations; Periodicals; 620.1105
• DOI: 10.1002/admt.201600035
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2365-709X

Abstract

Abstract : A nontraditional liquid metal battery (LMB) is devised to address the drawbacks of molten salt‐based batteries with a simple design that does not require fragile membranes and is not limited to materials of specific densities. This battery contains coaxial, coplanar liquid Sn and Bi electrodes and a ZnCl2 :KCl eutectic electrolyte. Molten Sn serves as a high‐capacity host material for depositing and stripping active Zn. In cells operating at 320 °C, the molten salt blankets the molten electrodes, isolating the half reactions while balancing charge with mobile Cl – ions. Even under exposure to ambient air and moisture, minimal capacity fade occurs during 30 days of cycling. The results indicate ZnCl2 :KCl to be an excellent LMB electrolyte that functions without hermetic sealing when used at elevated temperatures. The findings contribute to the increasing interest in Zn‐based electrical energy storage with a design concept that opens the door to many unexplored materials for use in lower temperature liquid metal batteries. Abstract : Liquid Sn and Bi electrodes generate an electromotive force (emf) in a cell with molten salt ZnCl2 :KCl as electrolyte and active species. The emf can be exploited to create an intermediate temperature battery that reversibly forms Zn‐based liquid alloys. Reproducible cyclic performance is observed for over 100 h with no capacity loss.