Researchers at the University of Waterloo have made a significant breakthrough in developing magnesium-based batteries, which could offer a more sustainable and affordable alternative to the widely used lithium-ion batteries.
Magnesium is cheaper and more abundant than lithium, making it a promising material for the next generation of energy storage solutions.
The idea of magnesium batteries has been around since 2000, but early designs failed to produce enough voltage to compete with lithium-ion batteries, which power most of today’s devices.
Now, the team at Waterloo, led by Professor Linda Nazar and postdoctoral researcher Chang Li, has developed an innovative electrolyte that makes magnesium batteries more efficient and practical.
Their research, conducted in collaboration with UC Berkeley and Sandia National Labs, was recently published in the journal Joule.
How magnesium batteries work
Batteries consist of three main components:
- Cathode: The positive side of the battery.
- Anode: The negative side of the battery.
- Electrolyte: A chemical solution that allows electric charge to flow between the cathode and anode.
In earlier magnesium battery designs, the electrolyte limited the battery’s voltage to just one volt—less than a standard AA battery, which operates at 1.5 volts. However, the new electrolyte designed by Li and Nazar enables magnesium batteries to achieve up to three volts, with room for further improvements.
A safer, more sustainable design
One of the key achievements of this research is the creation of a magnesium electrolyte that is non-corrosive, non-flammable, and cost-effective. Previous attempts at magnesium-based batteries relied on expensive materials that were difficult to scale for commercial use. Li and Nazar’s design, however, is inexpensive and scalable, making it more practical for widespread adoption.
“The electrolyte we developed allows us to deposit magnesium foils with extremely high efficiency,” said Li. “It is also stable at a higher voltage than what has been successfully tested before.”
While this breakthrough represents a major step forward, the researchers note that finding the right cathode is the next challenge. A better cathode design would complete the magnesium battery system and make it ready for commercial use.
“This is another big step toward commercializing a functional magnesium battery,” said Nazar. “We hope our work will inspire others to discover the perfect positive electrode to bring everything together.”
Magnesium batteries have the potential to transform energy storage by offering a cheaper, safer, and more sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries. With further research and development, they could play a major role in powering a greener future.
Source: University of Waterloo.
