Periodic Reporting for period 3 - E-MAGIC (European Magnesium Interactive Battery Community)
Reporting period: 2022-01-01 to 2023-06-30
E-MAGIC is a four-year (2019-2022) FET Proactive project focused on Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries (RMB) and aims at demonstrating a new technological paradigm within the scope of disruptive micro-energy and storage technologies.
The potential to use metallic Mg anodes in RMB brings important advantages in terms of energy density, cost and safety. The RMB constitutes an example of such promising alternative amongst non-Li energy storage systems. Nevertheless, Mg-batteries must be effectively rechargeable to be sustainable and cost-effective. E-MAGIC consortium focuses on developing both Mg-ion and Mg-S technologies to address the potential of RMB. However, the emerging reversible insertion or conversion Mg-based batteries have its own limitations preventing them from having a significant impact.
E-MAGIC's strategies include the use of computational studies to set a basis to identify potential materials. Combining theoretical with experimental approaches E-MAGIC intents to achieve one of its main objectives: Develop a disruptive scientific and technical approach for new generation high energy density and environmentally friendly RMB.
In this context, E-MAGIC claims to provide novel and innovative solutions focusing on:
1. Building up a rational design of materials and structures on the basis of computational approaches at different length scales
2. Explore alternative anode processing based on Mg-alloys, Mg-surface protective films, and structured Mg-metal-surface
3. Development of electrolyte systems with extended practical stable voltage windows
4. Improve the cathode nanostructure, architecture and functionality under RMB electrolyte solutions
5. Promote the evolution of a RMB by simulating its performance integrated into a hybrid micro energy storage system
The technical objectives are supported by the other main objective: Reinforcement of the European magnesium community. Thus, E-MAGIC intends to contribute to reduce the barriers for increased penetration rate of distributed and/or intermittent renewable energy sources since the development of this type of batteries will increase the stability and reduce the cost for hybrid (energy) storage solutions.
The potential to use metallic Mg anodes in RMB brings important advantages in terms of energy density, cost and safety. The RMB constitutes an example of such promising alternative amongst non-Li energy storage systems. Nevertheless, Mg-batteries must be effectively rechargeable to be sustainable and cost-effective. E-MAGIC consortium focuses on developing both Mg-ion and Mg-S technologies to address the potential of RMB. However, the emerging reversible insertion or conversion Mg-based batteries have its own limitations preventing them from having a significant impact.
E-MAGIC's strategies include the use of computational studies to set a basis to identify potential materials. Combining theoretical with experimental approaches E-MAGIC intents to achieve one of its main objectives: Develop a disruptive scientific and technical approach for new generation high energy density and environmentally friendly RMB.
In this context, E-MAGIC claims to provide novel and innovative solutions focusing on:
1. Building up a rational design of materials and structures on the basis of computational approaches at different length scales
2. Explore alternative anode processing based on Mg-alloys, Mg-surface protective films, and structured Mg-metal-surface
3. Development of electrolyte systems with extended practical stable voltage windows
4. Improve the cathode nanostructure, architecture and functionality under RMB electrolyte solutions
5. Promote the evolution of a RMB by simulating its performance integrated into a hybrid micro energy storage system
The technical objectives are supported by the other main objective: Reinforcement of the European magnesium community. Thus, E-MAGIC intends to contribute to reduce the barriers for increased penetration rate of distributed and/or intermittent renewable energy sources since the development of this type of batteries will increase the stability and reduce the cost for hybrid (energy) storage solutions.
The main achievements of the project can be summarized as:
• First working RMB prototype in the world based on Ref. SOA materials
• Integration of novel materials in the reference pouch cell prototype: Conservative estimation revealed that it is possible to reach > 150 Wh/kgcell
• Overcome multiple challenges in design resulting in potential Innovations
• Novel & highly stable boron-based salt electrolyte (> 3,0V vs Mg/Mg+2) compatible with lighter current collectors
• New high voltage/ capacity Cathodes (> x5 vs Ref. SOA)
• New thin Mg film anodes (< x5 vs Ref. SOA)
• Building an International Community, raising profile & making industry connections to reduce the time to market
• 43 scientific publications in high impact factor journals (+5 articles under review process)
• 75 contributions to international conferences and workshops
• Organization of 2 International Magnesium Battery Symposiums
• Participation in events organized by the European Comission
• Communication platforms developed (Website and socials)
• First working RMB prototype in the world based on Ref. SOA materials
• Integration of novel materials in the reference pouch cell prototype: Conservative estimation revealed that it is possible to reach > 150 Wh/kgcell
• Overcome multiple challenges in design resulting in potential Innovations
• Novel & highly stable boron-based salt electrolyte (> 3,0V vs Mg/Mg+2) compatible with lighter current collectors
• New high voltage/ capacity Cathodes (> x5 vs Ref. SOA)
• New thin Mg film anodes (< x5 vs Ref. SOA)
• Building an International Community, raising profile & making industry connections to reduce the time to market
• 43 scientific publications in high impact factor journals (+5 articles under review process)
• 75 contributions to international conferences and workshops
• Organization of 2 International Magnesium Battery Symposiums
• Participation in events organized by the European Comission
• Communication platforms developed (Website and socials)
Amongst several findings some of them can be pointed out as beyond SoA outcomes which pave the upcoming scientific and practical advances in Mg-ion batteries:
• The development of automated computational tools to accelerate the discovery of novel materials to be used as intercalation electrodes.
• CP does not intercalate Mg in Cl-free solutions at room temperature. Cl-based species have a critical role in the electrochemical processes of intercalation of Mg ions. This finding may open a hatch for the future development of practical RMBs.
• The Mg[B(hfip)4]2) / glyme based electrolyte composition was optimized. These electrolyte improvements have reduced the Mg plating/stripping overpotential and allowed enhanced Mg cycling performance.
• The new boron-based electrolyte system has allowed the development of three promising cathode materials where the anionic redox chemistry was activated, enabling multielectron transfer in insertion cathodes for high energy multivalent batteries
• VS4 was taken as a model material for reversible two-electron redox reaction with synergetic cationic-anionic contribution, which has been verified in RMB.
• PAQ/Ketjenblack based composites have been demonstrated towards high energy and long-lifespan RMB when the new boron-based electrolyte is used.
• The combination of the Mg anode with S using materials with high specific capacity.
• The feasibility of processing ultrathin Mg anodes by using the AZ31 Mg alloy has been demonstrated.
• The first RMB prototype has been manufactured, achieving 30Wh/kg for more than 1000 cycles.
• The development of automated computational tools to accelerate the discovery of novel materials to be used as intercalation electrodes.
• CP does not intercalate Mg in Cl-free solutions at room temperature. Cl-based species have a critical role in the electrochemical processes of intercalation of Mg ions. This finding may open a hatch for the future development of practical RMBs.
• The Mg[B(hfip)4]2) / glyme based electrolyte composition was optimized. These electrolyte improvements have reduced the Mg plating/stripping overpotential and allowed enhanced Mg cycling performance.
• The new boron-based electrolyte system has allowed the development of three promising cathode materials where the anionic redox chemistry was activated, enabling multielectron transfer in insertion cathodes for high energy multivalent batteries
• VS4 was taken as a model material for reversible two-electron redox reaction with synergetic cationic-anionic contribution, which has been verified in RMB.
• PAQ/Ketjenblack based composites have been demonstrated towards high energy and long-lifespan RMB when the new boron-based electrolyte is used.
• The combination of the Mg anode with S using materials with high specific capacity.
• The feasibility of processing ultrathin Mg anodes by using the AZ31 Mg alloy has been demonstrated.
• The first RMB prototype has been manufactured, achieving 30Wh/kg for more than 1000 cycles.