Different types of

aluminium Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...

-based batteries have been investigated. Several are listed below: * Aluminium–air battery is a non-rechargeable battery. Aluminium–air batteries (Al–air batteries) produce electricity from the reaction of

oxygen Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...

in the

air An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosph ...

with aluminium. They have one of the highest

energy densities In physics, energy density is the quotient between the amount of energy stored in a given system or contained in a given region of space and the volume of the system or region considered. Often only the ''useful'' or extractable energy is measure ...

of all batteries, but they are not widely used because of problems with high anode cost and byproduct removal when using traditional electrolytes. *

Aluminium-ion battery Aluminium-ion batteries (AIB) are a class of rechargeable battery in which aluminium ions serve as charge carriers. Aluminium can exchange three electrons per ion. This means that insertion of one Al3+ is equivalent to three Li+ ions. Thus, sinc ...

is a class of rechargeable battery in which aluminium ions provide energy. * Aluminium–chlorine battery was patented by

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

in the 1970s and designed mostly for military applications. They use aluminium anodes and chlorine on graphite substrate cathodes. Elevated temperatures are required for these batteries to be operational. * Aluminium–sulfur battery was worked on by American researchers with great claims, although it seems that these are still far from mass production. The rechargeable aluminium–sulfur battery was first demonstrated at the University of Maryland in 2016. In August 2022 MIT researchers claimed they had developed a new type of low cost inorganic ionic liquid electrolyte Aluminium sulphur battery operating at an ideal temperature of 110 degrees Celsius In 2024, researchers reported operating an aluminium sulphur batteryquaternary alkali chloroaluminate melt electrolyte below the boiling point of water, at 85 degrees Celsius. * Al–Fe–O, Al–Cu–O and Al–Fe–OH batteries were proposed by some researchers for military hybrid vehicles. Corresponding practical specific energies claimed are 455, 440 and 380 Wh/kg. * Al–MnO manganese-dioxide battery using acidic electrolyte. These produce a high voltage of 1.9 volts. Another variation uses a base (potassium hydroxide) as the anolyte and

sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen, ...

as the catholyte. The two parts being separated by a slightly permeable film to avoid mixing of the electrolyte in both half cells. This configuration gives a high voltage of 2.6–2.85 volts. * Al–glass system. As reported in an Italian patent by Baiocchi, in the interface between common silica glass and aluminium foil (no other components are required) at a temperature near the melting point of the metal, an electric voltage is generated with an electric current passing through when the system is closed onto a resistive load. The phenomenon was first observed by Baiocchi, and after Dell'Era ''et al''. (2013). began the study and the characterization of this electrochemical system.

References

{{reflist, 25em Electrochemical cells Aluminium