It's about a quarter of a century late to the party, but magnesium may now be ready to enter the battery sector, thanks to experts at Canada's University of Waterloo. An effective cathode is the next missing VIP on Waterloo's list to take the tech to the next level, according to a school news release.
The experts stated that magnesium battery findings were first shared in a research paper in 2000, but the element couldn't provide the same voltage as lithium, and the latter metal became the prominent one used in battery chemistry.
Scientists worldwide continue to pursue batteries that use cheaper materials, are safe, and are high-performing. Potassium, sodium, and iron are among elements being tinkered with in labs.
Magnesium is more abundant and less expensive than lithium. Its ions have double the electrons compared to lithium, potentially providing for more energy density, or storage capacity per pound, according to Waterloo and government experts at Argonne National Laboratory. Argonne added slow charge times and technical challenges during cycling to the list of cons.
For its part, lithium packs are reliable, cleaner energy sources, especially when replacing fossil-burning cars. But it's a tough-to-harvest element with an environmental cost documented by Euronews. Water use and contamination are among concerns highlighted as fallout from the colorful brine pits often associated with lithium extraction sites, per the report.
"Magnesium batteries are potentially advantageous because they have a more robust supply chain and are more sustainable to engineer, and raw material costs may be less than state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries," the Argonne factsheet noted.
And now it seems Waterloo's team may have solved the voltage conundrum with an "electrolyte that enables a highly-efficient magnesium anode." The coin-cell prototype registered three volts, a big increase from the less-than-one-volt mark previously reached. For reference, an AA battery provides one-and-a-half volts, according to Waterloo.
"The electrolyte we developed allows us to deposit magnesium foils with extremely high efficiency, and it is stable to a higher voltage than successfully tested before," postdoctoral fellow Chang Li said in the lab summary. "All we need now is the right cathode to bring it all together."
When batteries cycle, ions move between the anode and cathode through the electrolyte. Waterloo's version is noncorrosive and nonflammable, which addresses safety concerns associated with lithium packs. While rare, lithium battery fires can be explosive and calamitous, the National Fire Prevention Association noted in a factsheet.
🗣️ Are you thinking about buying an electric vehicle?
🔘 Yes — in the next 6 months 🙌
🔘 Yes — but not in the next 6 months 👍
🔘 Already own one 😎
🔘 Nope 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Addressing battery cost and safety is important as our transportation system continues to transition to electric rides. The International Energy Agency reported that nearly one-fifth of the vehicles sold in 2023 were electric vehicles, a 35% increase from the prior year.
Each EV that replaces a gas-guzzler prevents thousands of pounds of planet-warming air pollution a year, per government data. A one-time tax break of up to $7,500 and recurring fuel savings worth around $1,500 a year are big boons for motorists who switch.
The Waterloo team has some work to do before magnesium packs can reliably power EVs. But they think their findings are scalable.
"This is another big step on the road toward commercializing a functional magnesium battery," Professor Linda Nazar said in the lab summary. "We hope our work will open up a door for us, or someone else, to discover and develop the right positive electrode that will complete the magnesium battery puzzle."
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
