Electrochemical study of TiO2 in aqueous AlCl3 electrolyte via vacuum impregnation for superior high-rate electrode performance

Abstract

This communication elucidates the charge storage mechanism of a TiO 2 electrode in 1 mol dm − 3 AlCl 3 for use in aqueous-ion batteries. Cyclic voltammetry studies suggest a surface contribution to charge storage and that cycle life can be improved by limiting the potential ≥ − 1.0 V vs SCE. In order to enhance this surface contribution, a simple vacuum impregnation technique was employed to improve electrode-electrolyte contact. This resulted in a significant improvement in the high rate performance of TiO 2 , where a capacity of 15 mA h g − 1 was maintained at the very high specific current of 40 A g − 1 , a decrease of only 25% from when the electrode was cycled at 1 A g − 1 . The vacuum impregnation process was also applied to copper-hexacyanoferrate, envisaged as a possible positive electrode, again resulting in significant improvements to high-rate performance. This demonstrates the potential for using this simple technique for improving electrode performance in other aqueous electrolyte battery systems.