Magnesium Battery Negative Electrode with Carbon Modification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Rechargeable magnesium batteries face challenges due to the less reversible migration of magnesium ions during charge and discharge cycles, limiting their life and requiring alternative electrochemically active materials and electrolytes that can facilitate reversible magnesium deposition and dissolution without causing passivation of the anode.

Innovation Solution

A magnesium battery design featuring a negative electrode with a carbon modification and a metal alloy capable of forming alloys with magnesium, along with a positive electrode that can reversibly intercalate magnesium ions, using a magnesium salt-based electrolyte system that allows for efficient charge exchange between electrodes, including the use of ionic liquids and organic solvents for improved oxidative stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If magnesium ion migration is enhanced for better battery performance, then charge exchange efficiency improves, but reversibility of magnesium ion migration decreases limiting battery life

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharge exchange efficiencyVSAvoidbattery life
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The carbon coating on the magnesium anode serves as a mediator that facilitates reversible magnesium ion deposition and dissolution. It provides a conductive interface that enhances charge exchange efficiency while simultaneously protecting the magnesium from irreversible reactions, thereby extending battery life through improved reversibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The electrolyte composition is changed from organic to aqueous or hybrid systems, which fundamentally alters the magnesium ion migration characteristics. This parameter change enables more reversible ion exchange processes that maintain high charge exchange efficiency while significantly improving the reversibility and thus the cycle life of the battery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enables higher storage capacities and operational voltages for magnesium batteries, overcoming the limitations of previous designs by ensuring reversible magnesium ion intercalation and deintercalation, and compatibility with various electrolyte systems, thus enhancing battery performance and safety.

Implementation Method 1

a electrolyte containing a magnesium salt and via which a charge exchange, in particular a back and forth migration of the magnesium ions, can take place between the at least one positive and the at least one negative electrode

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIonic conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 2

at least one positive electrode containing an active material capable of reversibly intercalating and extracting magnesium ions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIntercalation: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 3

at least one negative electrode containing an active material capable of reversibly intercalating and extracting magnesium ions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIntercalation: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 4

an electrolyte containing a magnesium salt

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDissociation: Electrolyte

Data Source

PatentEP3084862B1Magnesium battery
Publication Date: 2018.06.13 VARTA MICRO INNOVATION
  • EP3084862B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3084862B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3084862B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a magnesium battery comprising at least one positive electrode which contains an active material that is capable of reversibly incorporating and releasing magnesium ions, at least one negative electrode which contains an active material that is capable of reversibly incorporating and releasing magnesium ions, and an electrolyte which contains a magnesium salt. The active material of the negative electrode comprises at least one carbon modification and preferably additionally one metal of the group comprising silicon, germanium, tin, zinc, antimony, bismuth, aluminum, and manganese. The invention further relates to a negative electrode for a magnesium battery.