ZnO Coating on Laser Powder Bed Fusion Fabricated Porous AlSi10Mg Structures for Battery Applications
摘要
Cellular structures made of aluminum alloy can be found in various applications, including automobile bodies' frameworks, highway noise insulation, heat exchangers, and lightweight conformal pressure tanks. In the context of lithium ion batteries, augmenting the thickness, porosity, and mass loading of the active material within the electrodes presents a compelling strategy for boosting the energy density, power density, lifetime, and safety. This study discusses the manufacturability and performance of three-dimensional (3D) porous AlSi10Mg periodic cellular lattice structures fabricated using laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF). The engineered porous structures will function as current collectors, thus establishing a 3D electronic conductive network capable of accommodating substantial amounts of active material while maintaining excellent mechanical stability. The dip coating method was selected to deposit zinc oxide (ZnO) active material onto these current collectors. The developed porous electrodes were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, along with electrochemical characterizations such as cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge tests. The electrodes demonstrated excellent reversible capacity, cycle life, and coulombic efficiency attributable to the 3D current collector design. At a current density of 45 mA g−1, the electrodes demonstrated an impressive retention of 98% of their discharge capacity, significantly outperforming several conventional Al-based electrodes. The findings of this research indicate that L-PBF has the potential to fabricate high-quality aluminum structural components for electronic applications.