Aluminum batteries comprising metal-oxide, metal-fluoride, metal-sulfide, or sulfur cathodes

An aluminum battery comprising an aluminum-containing anode, a non-aqueous electrolyte, and a cathode, said cathode comprising:

• (a) one or more cathode active materials selected from the group consisting of a metal (M) oxide, a metal (M) fluoride, a metal (M) sulfide, and sulfur (M);
• and
• (b) a conductive material with pores having at least one dimension below about one micrometer, wherein said cathode active material is contained within said pores,
• wherein said battery has a multiple-electron-reduction discharge state wherein the ratio of the number of Al atoms to the number of M atoms in the cathode is about 0.4 or greater.

A cathode for an aluminum battery, said cathode comprising:

• (a) a cathode active material selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide, a metal fluoride, a metal sulfide, and sulfur;
• and
• (b) a conductive material with pores having at least one dimension below about one micrometer, wherein said cathode active material is contained within said pores,
• wherein said cathode has a multiple-electron-reduction cathode discharge state wherein the ratio of the total number of discharged electrons to the number of cathode metal atoms is greater than 1.0.