Novel Carbonyl Cathode for Green and Sustainable Aluminum Organic Batteries

Aluminum batteries (ABs) have triggered increasing interest due to the geochemically abundant aluminum, high theoretical energy density, and excellent safety characteristics. Organic materials with engineered active groups have the advantages of low cost, flexible structural design, and benignity to the environment. Herein, we report an appropriately heat treated aromatic carbonyl derivative PTCDA/500 °C as an organic cathode material for ABs. The constructed aluminum organic batteries exhibited excellent cycling stability, with a capacity retention rate of 91% (111 mAh/g) after 200 cycles at a current density of 1000 mA/g and also displayed the more excellent rate capability at different current densities. In addition, the electrochemical reaction mechanism of AlCl₂⁺ and PTCDA was studied based on density functional theory (DFT) as well as the ion diffusion behavior on the electrode surface being probed. The research results provide new ideas for the development of green and sustainable aluminum organic batteries.