Chemistry and Electrochemistry | Aluminum

Aluminum has long attracted attention as an anode material for electrochemical power sources because of its high theoretical voltage and specific energy. This chapter is a brief introduction to chemistry and electrochemistry of elemental aluminum. The metal is unique because of the formation of an impervious and adherent oxide surface layer, which makes the metal remarkable for its corrosion and wear resistance. As a result, electroplating of aluminum is a widely used technique for corrosion protection of other metals. To prepare better and varied oxide layers, the electrolytic process, anodizing, is developed. On the other hand, the oxide layer is detrimental to the aluminum anode performance in batteries, where the electrode activation and corrosion depression are therefore focusing on developing aluminum alloys. Electrochemically aluminum has a very negative electrode potential and can only be deposited from non-aqueous electrolytes. Electrolytic production, refining and plating of aluminum and development of rechargeable aluminum batteries employ either molten salt or organic electrolytes. These technologies constitute principal branches of aluminum electrochemistry and are therefore the focal points of discussion in this chapter.