METALLIZED GRAPHITE AS AN IMPROVED CATHODE MATERIAL FOR ALUMINUM AIR BATTERIES

This paper reports the fabrication of metallized (Pt, Ni, Cu, Fe, Co) graphite cathodes by an electrodeposition method from an appropriate electrolytic bath, together with the performance characteristics of specially-designed aluminium/air cells that utilize these cathodes. In these cells, the aluminium electrodes were separated by a glass-jacket separator. The latter prevents mixing of hydrogen gas evolved due to the corrosion of the aluminium electrode. While the open-circuit voltage of the cells is virtually invariant, the short-circuit current and discharge behaviour are markedly dependent upon the choice of catalytic metal. The discharge profiles are improved markedly for cells with a Pt-, Ni- or Cu-coated graphite air cathode, but the reverse is found for Fe- and Co-coated cathodes. The behaviour is explained in terms of chemisorption and the better catalytic activity of Pt, Ni and Cu. These results suggest that Ni- and Cu-coated graphite air cathodes are promising low-cost an efficient electrodes for aluminium/air batteries.