Aluminum Fuel Cell Anode And Electrolyte Additives

Nowadays, energy shortage and environmental pollution are the two major outstanding problems. the possible ways to resolve them are to develop new alternative fuels or new type power batteries. Aluminum air metal fuel cell is ideal for the new type power batteries because of its large theoretical capacity, high specific energy, abundant resources and pollution-free. But the corrosion and polarization of aluminum anode are very serious, which inhibit the development and application of aluminum air battery. Therefore, researches on aluminum metal air fuel cell to reduce its corrosion and polarization have a great significance.The Al-Ga-Pb-Bi alloy anodes were prepared by doping Ga, Pb, Bi into aluminum. The alloy corrosion rate, anodic polarization and discharge current density of the samples were tested by weight-loss method, open circuit potential, linear sweep, AC impedance, constant current discharge and constant voltage discharge methods. The distribution of added elements in aluminum alloy was detected by SEM and EDS. The alloy anode composition was obtained by X-ray fluorescence. And via adding Na₂SnO₃, LiOH to the solution, annealing and quenching at different conditions, their impacts were studied on the corrosion rate, anodic polarization, discharge current density and others electrochemical properties of aluminum alloy anode.The experimental results show that:The Al-Ga-Pb-Bi alloys are obtained by adding Ga, Bi, Pb into aluminum, of which the corrosion rate in alkaline solution get smaller.Adding Na₂SnO₃ to the electrolyte (4mol·L^-1KOH) is able to effectively decrease the corrosion rate of Al-Ga-Pb-Bi alloy anode in alkaline solution, finding out that the best inhibition efficiency up to 60% -70% with addition of 0.03mol·L^-1 for Na₂SnO₃ adding LiOH to the electrolyte also can inhibit the corrosion rate of Al-Ga-Pb-Bi alloy anode in alkaline solution,the best addition is 0.02mol·L^-1 and inhibition efficiency is 40%. The corrosion rate of aluminum alloys increase after annealing, but the corrosion rate and anode polarization of aluminum alloy decrease with appropriate quenching, with the temperature higher than 500℃for solid solution treatment and quenching in water at 25℃.