Porous Dodecahedral NiS2/NiSe2 Nanomaterials as Cathode Material for Aluminum Batteries

Abstract

Aluminum batteries (ABs) have recently become a type of battery technology that has attracted much attention due to their advantages such as abundant resources and high theoretical capacity. However, the development of ABs is limited by the inherent characteristics of the positive electrode materials, so finding high-performance positive electrode materials has become a top priority in research. Transition metal sulfides/selenides, as positive electrode materials for ABs, offer notable benefits such as high specific capacity and long cycle life, showing great application potential. In this study, a nanoscale porous dodecahedral NiS₂/NiSe₂ heterojunction was designed and prepared for an ABs positive electrode. The unique heterojunction structure generates a built-in electric field, which facilitates the transport of electrons and ions and improves the reaction kinetics. Nanoparticles can provide a larger specific surface area, while the porous structure supports buffering volume expansion and promotes electrolyte infiltration, thereby improving the electrochemical performance. Experimental results show that the NiS₂/NiSe₂ heterojunction exhibits a notable initial capacity of 375.5 mAh/g within the voltage range of 0.01–2.3 V, and it can still maintain 81.1 mAh/g after 400 cycles. This research provides ideas for developing a high-performance positive electrode for ABs.