Fabrication of High-performance Metal-air Secondary Battery using Functionalized Nano-carbon

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K07034
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Energy engineering
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: Yuasa Masayoshi 近畿大学, 産業理工学部, 准教授 (50404075)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 大容量蓄電池 / ナノカーボン / 酸素還元反応 / 酸素発生反応

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Electrode materials that have high stability against anodic polarization and high activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (discharge reaction) and oxygen evolution reaction (charge reaction) are required for improving the performance of metal-air batteries. In this study, we focused on graphene as an electrode material of metal-air batteries. The mechanochemical method was investigated as the synthesis method of graphene. As the result, multi-layered graphenes were successfully obtained by mechanochemical reaction using planetary ball mills. The graphene synthesized by the mechanochemical reaction showed higher oxygen reduction and evolution activity than the chemically exfoliated graphene. The oxygen evolution activity of the graphene synthesized by the mechanochemical reaction was improved by doping nitrogen and sulfur. Moreover, it was found that the graphene synthesized by the mechanochemical reaction has high activity toward the glucose oxidation.

Free Research Field

無機材料化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、ボールミル粉砕（硬質ボールと固体試料を円筒形の容器中で回転させることで試料をすりつぶす材料粉砕方法）を利用したグラフェン（炭素で構成されたシート状の微粒子）の合成を検討した。本研究で得られたグラフェンは、金属空気電池の充電反応に対して安定で、かつ、高い充放電活性を有することを見出した。金属空気電池は、リチウムイオン電池を凌ぐ高い放電容量を実現しうる電池であるが、充電反応の際に構成材料が分解すること、そして材料の反応活性が低いことが課題であった。本研究で得られた材料は、上述の金属空気電池の課題の解決に資する有望な材料である。