Improving a Mg/S Battery with YCl₃ Additive and Magnesium Polysulfide

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Rechargeable magnesium/sulfur (Mg/S) batteries are promising alternatives to lithium-ion batteries.
• A significant limitation is the lack of suitable electrolytes for stable Mg/S cell operation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel electrolyte additive for Mg/S batteries.
• To improve coulombic efficiency and electrochemical performance of Mg/S cells.

Main Methods:

• An electrolyte additive was synthesized to reduce polarization voltage.
• Electrochemical performance was evaluated using Mg plating/stripping tests.
• Mg/S cells were assembled with magnesium polysulfide on a carbon matrix.

Main Results:

• The developed electrolyte additive achieved 98.7% coulombic efficiency.
• The Mg-ion electrolyte showed excellent Mg plating/stripping with low overpotential (0.11 V) and high anodic stability (3.0 V).
• Mg/S cells exhibited good cycling stability with a discharge capacity over 1000 mAh g⁻¹ for 50 cycles.

Conclusions:

• The novel electrolyte additive significantly enhances the performance of Mg/S batteries.
• This advancement addresses key challenges in electrolyte development for Mg/S systems.
• The improved Mg/S batteries show potential for next-generation energy storage applications.