Solid-state rechargeable battery with tunneling effect.

Abstract. The system functions as a rechargeable battery using the tunneling effect. It consists of two superimposed conductive foils, one aluminum and the other graphite, subjected to a special electrochemical protocol. The two foils are placed one on top of the other in a "sandwich" shape. The system therefore comprises an aluminum foil and a graphite foil. The aluminum foil is roughened through a mechanical abrasion process and then subjected to an electrochemical process that generates a surface effect known as "pitting corrosion." The same electrochemical process also allows for the electrodeposition of graphene oxide. After undergoing the electrochemical process, the aluminum foil exhibits surface roughness and roughness in the order of micrometers and nanometers, with a statistical distribution that can reach several thousand pits on the surface. The surface roughness can be seen as many micro-tips that, when subjected to the action of the electric field, produce a phase-dependent tunneling effect, transferring electrons to the graphite foil. The two foils are overlapped with light pressure and connected to a DC power supply. Depending on the distance between the foils, this generates an intense electric field between the overlapping layers. The electrons coming from the roughness of the aluminum plate connected to the negative pole tunnel through the thin layer of graphene oxide and accumulate on the graphite surface connected to the positive pole of the DC power supply. The voltage measured between the plates disconnected from the power supply is in the order of 2.4 V. The current generated is in the order of a few tens of mA, enough to light a low-power LED for over 12 hours. The cell does not use membranes and is not immersed in any electrolytic solution.