Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, Vol.48, No.4, 405-413, 2018
Effect of carbon properties on the electrochemical performance of carbon-based air electrodes for rechargeable zinc-air batteries
The carbon-based air electrode for zinc-air batteries has its advantages, such as high electrical conductivity and porosity; however, its stability is poor, affecting the cycle life of batteries. Degradation of the electrode can be caused by carbon corrosion during charging at high voltage. In this study, air electrodes were prepared with several types of carbon materials. The electrochemical performances of the electrodes were measured to investigate the effects of the corrosion properties of several carbons with different physical properties. The initial electrochemical performance of the carbon black-electrode was the best due to its high specific surface area. In contrast, the long-term cyclabilities of graphite1- and graphite2-electrodes were superior. Both electrodes exhibited high crystallinity and high uniformity in terms of the particle size and shape. Considering durability, the graphite1-electrode was deemed the most suitable as an air electrode for zinc-air batteries. [GRAPHICS] .
Keywords:Rechargeable zinc-air battery;Air electrode;Catalyst support;Carbon corrosion;Cycleability;Carbon's physical properties