Protective Coating From PVP Resin Precursor: A Low-Cost Approach to Tackling Challenges of Aluminum-Based Anode...

Aluminum is a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its high theoretical capacity, low cost, and natural abundance. However, severe volume changes during cycling lead to rapid structural degradation and poor performance. In this work, a simple and scalable surface modification strategy is proposed to enhance the electrochemical performance of aluminum anodes. Commercial aluminum powder was uniformly coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone and subsequently carbonized to form a continuous amorphous carbon shell. Structural and morphological analyses confirmed complete carbon coverage on the aluminum particles. Electrochemical measurements demonstrated that the carbon-coated aluminum anode delivered a specific capacity ≈150% higher than that of pristine aluminum and exhibited markedly improved cycling stability. The carbon layer effectively mitigated volume-induced degradation and enabled a progressive lithiation behavior from the particle surface toward the core. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy further revealed reduced charge-transfer resistance and more stable solid electrolyte interphase formation over repeated cycles. These results indicate that carbon-coated aluminum is a viable and scalable anode material, offering enhanced capacity retention and durability for next-generation LIBs.