Mono-nuclei Magnesium Salt Electrolyte for Rechargeable Battery Passivation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The development of rechargeable magnesium batteries is hindered by the formation of a dense passivation coating on metal magnesium in non-protonic electrolyte solutions, preventing magnesium ions from conducting and resulting in malfunction, and existing electrolyte salts have complex structures and high costs, limiting their use in magnesium batteries.

Innovation Solution

A mono-nuclei cationized magnesium salt is synthesized through a reaction between Lewis acids and bases in a non-aqueous solvent, using inorganic magnesium and aluminum or boron salts, which forms a simple structure with improved electrochemical stability and conductivity, facilitating reversible magnesium deposition and dissolution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If simple mono-nuclei cationized magnesium salts are used in non-protonic electrolyte polar solvents, then the electrolyte structure is simple and cost is low, but a dense passivation coating forms that does not conduct magnesium ions, preventing reversible deposition and dissolution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrolyte structureVSAvoidion conduction
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite electrolyte salts containing both magnesium cations and aluminum or boron cations (e.g., Mg(AlCl4)2, Mg(BCl4)2) to create a composite material that prevents passivation coating formation while maintaining simple structure and low cost, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and ion conduction reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If dual-nuclei magnesium cations are used in electrolyte salts, then magnesium deposition and dissolution can occur reversibly, but the cations have large size that adversely affects ion conduction and the anions contain organic radicals with poor electrochemical stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereversible deposition-dissolutionVSAvoidcation structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential function of dual-nuclei cations (preventing passivation) while removing the harmful aspects (large size, organic radicals). By using aluminum or boron cations instead of complex organic cations, the invention maintains the preventive function against passivation while achieving smaller ionic size and better electrochemical stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If existing electrolyte salts with organic radicals are used, then magnesium can perform reversible deposition and dissolution, but the anions have poor electrochemical stability and the preparation is complicated and high in cost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereversible magnesium deposition-dissolutionVSAvoidsynthesis complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces expensive, complex organic electrolyte salts with simple inorganic electrolyte salts (Mg(AlCl4)2, Mg(BCl4)2) that are cheaper to manufacture, have better electrochemical stability, and can be prepared through simple mixing of magnesium halide with aluminum or boron halides, eliminating the need for complex organic synthesis

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

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 mono-nuclei cationized magnesium salt enables high ionic conductivity and efficient reversible magnesium deposition-dissolution, enhancing the performance and scalability of rechargeable magnesium batteries, with initial discharging capacity exceeding 700 mAh/g and cycle numbers greater than 20, while reducing synthesis complexity and cost.

Implementation Method 1

Lewis acid containing Mg2+ reacts with Lewis base to form a mono-nuclei cationized magnesium salt

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLewis acid-base reaction: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

The passivation coating is a poor conductor of magnesium ions, preventing magnesium ions from passing through

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectIonic conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 3

magnesium can perform deposition and dissolution in a reversible way

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrochemical reaction: Redox Reactions

Data Source

PatentEP3399583B1Mononuclear magnesium cationized salt, preparation method and use thereof
Publication Date: 2021.03.24 SUZHOU INST OF NANO TECH & NANO BIONICS CHINESE ACEDEMY OF SCI
  • EP3399583B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3399583B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3399583B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a mono-nuclei cationized magnesium salt, a preparation method and applications thereof. The mono-nuclei cationized magnesium salt has a chemical formula of MgRnMX4-mYm, wherein R is a non-aqueous solvent molecule, M includes Al3+ and/or B3+, X and Y respectively include halide ion and halogenoid ion, n is any one integer selected in the range of 0∼6, and m is any one integer selected in the range of 0∼4. The mono-nuclei cationized magnesium salt provided by the invention has a simple structure and excellent electrochemical properties, and the preparation method thereof features low cost, integrated synthesis, accessible raw materials, simple preparation process, and simple scaled production. The provided mono-nuclei cationized magnesium salt is used as the electrolyte of the rechargeable batteries; the generated electrolyte solution has a high ionic conductivity, high reversible magnesium deposition-dissolution efficiency, excellent circulating performance and a high anode oxidation deposition potential. For example, when the electrolyte solution is applied to the magnesium batteries, the initial discharging capacity of the batteries can reach over 700 mAh/g, and the cycle number is greater than 20.