An industrialized prototype of the rechargeable Al/AlCl3-[EMIm]Cl/graphite battery and recycling of the graphitic cathode into graphene

In this work, a rechargeable Ah-level soft-package aluminum-ion (AIBs) battery is fabricated using carbon paper cathode, high-purity aluminum foil anode and ionic liquid electrolyte consisting of AlCl3 and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazalium chloride ([EMIm]Cl). It is amazing that the prototype battery, providing a maximal charge of 1.3 Ah at 10 mA g−1 current density, can light LED lamp for 14 h, and prototype battery series can drive a super mini kart steadily. The stable performances of rechargeable Ah-level aluminum-ion battery demonstrate their wide prospects in industrial application. Moreover, we found that the graphitic cathode materials from the used rechargeable AIBs can be completely recycled as graphene products through a facile treatment of electrolysis. The results are significantly meaningful for promoting the industrialized application and the sustainable development of AIBs.