Oxygen Vacancies Boosted Hydronium Intercalation: A Paradigm Shift in Aluminum‐Based Batteries
Chengxiang Huang, Jiang Zhou, Fuxi Liu, Wenwen Li, Qing Liang, Zhenzhen Zhao, Xin Ge, Kexin Song, Lirong Zheng, Xinyan Zhou, Sifan Qiao, Wei Zhang, Weitao Zheng, Weitao Zheng
Abstract
Abstract In aqueous aluminum‐ion batteries (AAIBs), the insertion/extraction chemistry of Al 3+ often leads to poor kinetics, whereas the rapid diffusion kinetics of hydronium ions (H 3 O + ) may offer the solution. However, the presence of considerable Al 3+ in the electrolyte hinders the insertion reaction of H 3 O + . Herein, we report how oxygen‐deficient α‐MoO 3 nanosheets unlock selective H 3 O + insertion in a mild aluminum‐ion electrolyte. The abundant oxygen defects impede the insertion of Al 3+ due to excessively strong adsorption, while allowing H 3 O + to be inserted/diffused through the Grotthuss proton conduction mechanism. This research advances our understanding of the mechanism behind selective H 3 O + insertion in mild electrolytes.