Aluminum Batteries Outlive Lithium-Ion with a Pinch of Salt
19 comments
·February 6, 2025_Microft
The link to the paper is hidden a few links into the article (what's up with all these 'tags' that they link to?):
"A Recyclable Inert Inorganic Framework Assisted Solid-State Electrolyte for Long-Life Aluminum Ion Batteries", https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acscentsci.4c01615 (Open Access)
pjc50
Seems to be fluoro-chemistry; use of AIF3 and Fluoroethylene carbonate. The F ion sets off alarm bells, but I have no idea whether this is significantly more toxic than the corresponding chemistry of regular Li batteries.
jokoon
I am too lazy to copy paste the battery check list
belval
For some reason people downvote you, but batteries seem to have this constant flux of N=1 articles explaining why X new chemistry is about to dethrone lithium. When it's not aluminium, it's solid state. This article itself has several red flags:
> In contrast, a typical Li-ion battery retains only 80 percent of its charge capacity after 300 to 500 cycles, depending on conditions.
LiFePO4 lasts for about 3000 cycles before 80% degradation, not 300-500.
> The batteries were also tested at temperatures as high as 200 degrees Celsius
Thermal runaway on LFP is 120C, not 200 but still not a temperature you will easily hit.
And finally (as always):
> before the Al-ion battery is ready for commercial applications, its energy density will need to be improved
Which means it's not commercially viable.
LiFePO4 is cheap to manufacture, uses lithium, iron, phosphate, all of which are fairly plentiful and lasts for over 3000 cycles (before reaching 80% capacity).
hedora
In defense of them, 99% capacity retention after 10,000 cycles is still much better.
I wonder if they are quoting unrealistic 0-100% numbers and you are quoting realistic 20-80%. If so, and you multiply the Li capacity by 0.6, I wonder how far off aluminum's (undisclosed) density is.
On an unrelated note, I’m surprised that lithium is only 4x the price of aluminum. They’re both incredibly common elements, but lithium extraction is harder for a lot of reasons.
silon42
> 99% capacity retention after 10,000
This would be really useful for plugin hybrids, even if the density is not competitive with LFP for pure EVs.
pfdietz
I don't think lithium is 4x the price of aluminum.
In January 2025, the North America price of lithium carbonate was $9.37/kg. But lithium carbonate is just 18.7% lithium, so the price is $50/kg of contained lithium.
In comparison, the current market price of aluminum metal is $2.62/kg. And aluminum compounds (where the large energy expenditure needed to reduce Al(+3) to the metal is not needed) should be cheaper.
Aluminum is much more common than lithium. It's the third most abundant element in the Earth's continental crust after oxygen and silicon.
megaman821
If these non-lithium battery chemistries had any chance, it would be in grid storage. As time goes on LFPs keep getting cheaper and better, and there will be little market left for alt-chemistries.
null
ajross
Lithium is rare enough to always be a cost barrier vs. something like Al/Cl chemistries that are literally made of dirt and brine. It's true that grid storage looks like the biggest market, but there's a lot of space in non-mobile/less-mobile energy storage that would like cheap batteries.
hedora
Lithium is not rare. It is also extracted from dirt and brine. Compare copper, lithium and nitrogen on this chart (abundance and annual production):
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abundance_of_elements_in_Ear...
The cost difference (which is only 4x vs aluminum, apparently) is due to a combination of increased demand (not enough production capacity) and probably the amount of energy/environmental impact of the two processes (you have to go through a lot less ore/brine to get the aluminum).
Also, aluminum benefits from a robust recycling infrastructure that hasn’t come online for lithium yet.
jeffbee
Lithium was $61/kg 2 years ago and now it's $14/kg. It is neither rare nor expensive.
moron4hire
> But before the Al-ion battery is ready for commercial applications, its energy density will need to be improved
There it is. No mention of how much. Though they do tell you how much longer it lasts! So apparently we aren't that averse to numbers.
brohee
Energy density is only an issue if you move the battery around, grid storage doesn't care so a bit concerning they don't mention that usage either.
bArray
I think grid storage does care:
* Size is important, because they need to be stored and maintained somewhere. The larger the energy storage, the more infrastructure required.
* Weight typically scales cost (the heavier it is the more it costs). If it really weighs a lot, you need to reinforce the ground too.
* Efficiency in charging and discharging. You also need to monitor the state of each cell carefully.
hedora
Grid storage can reuse post-consumer batteries.
Li-ion capacity fall off is a fixed percentage per year, so when your car hits 80% of original capacity in ten years, its battery pack can just be used for another ten years. It’ll provide > 64% capacity at the end of that (grid workloads are less stressful than driving workloads).
So, the alternative battery technology has to cost less than the cost difference between refurbishing and recycling old car batteries. That delta might be negative.
01HNNWZ0MV43FF
Tell me about vinegar and baking soda next, I love this home remedy bullshit. I'm about to rub lemons on my feet too
As a boater, I find salt being used to reduce corrosion a bit ironic.