Nanoporous-carbon as a potential host material for reversible Mg ion intercalation

Journal Article · Fri Mar 25 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0851606jes· OSTI ID:1333543

Siegal, Michael P. ^[1]; Yelton, W. Graham ^[1]; Perdue, Brian R. ^[1]; Gallis, Dorina F. Sava ^[1]; Schwarz, Haiqing L. ^[1]

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1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Here, we study nanoporous-carbon (NPC) grown via pulsed laser deposition (PLD) as an electrically conductive anode host material for Mg²⁺ intercalation. NPC has high surface area, and an open, accessible pore structure tunable via mass density that can improve diffusion. We fabricate 2032 coin cells using NPC coated stainless-steel disk anodes, metallic Mg cathodes, and a Grignard-based electrolyte. NPC mass density is controlled during growth, ranging from 0.06–1.3 g/cm³. The specific surface area of NPC increases linearly from 1,000 to 1,700 m²/g as mass density decreases from 1.3 to 0.26 g/cm³, however, the surface area falls off dramatically at lower mass densities, implying a lack of mechanical integrity in such nanostructures. These structural characterizations correlate directly with coin cell electrochemical measurements. In particular, cyclic voltammetry (CV) scans for NPC with density ~0.5 g/cm³ and BET surface area ~1500 m²/g infer the possibility of reversible Mg-ion intercalation. Higher density NPC yields capacitive behavior, most likely resulting from the smaller interplanar spacings between graphene sheet fragments and tighter domain boundaries; lower density NPC results in asymmetrical CV scans, consistent with the likely structural degradation resulting from mass transport through soft, low-density carbon materials.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC04-94AL85000
• OSTI ID: 1333543
• Report Number(s): SAND2016-8977J; 647320
• Journal Information: Journal of the Electrochemical Society, Vol. 163, Issue 6; ISSN 0013-4651
• Publisher: The Electrochemical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION