Cheaper and better batteries

Cheaper and better batteries

Researchers at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology and the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) are working together to develop magnesium-ion batteries (MIB), which, due to their specific cell chemistry, can achieve a higher energy density at a lower cost than lithium-ion batteries. Background: Magnesium is abundant as a raw material in this country, can be mined easily and in an environmentally friendly manner and has the required electrochemical properties. However, the biggest obstacle to the further development of MIBs is the incompatibility of Mg metal anodes with conventional electrolytes. These solutions decompose on the surface of the metallic magnesium and form a passivation layer that severely impedes electrical conductivity.

In the recently launched “Magnifico” research project, researchers want to develop a safe and sustainable wet chemical approach to producing a Generation 5 anode material by applying a protective layer to the surface of the magnesium particles. This prevents the decomposition of the electrolyte while maintaining the diffusion of the cations. The protected anode is expected to achieve long cell life (>4000 cycles), exceeding the current state of the art for MIBs. This innovative strategy will also enable the magnesium powder-based anode to be industrially processed and manufactured using conventional techniques and battery production infrastructure already developed for lithium-ion batteries.