Unravelling the potential of magnetic field in electrochemical energy storage: A review

Energy storage devices are the backbone to revolutionize portable electronics, stationary storage, and electric vehicles. To further improve the efficiency, energy, and power capacity of these devices, scalable and effective approaches providing end-to-end solutions are most desirable. As evidenced by several reports, magnetic field as non-contact energy has emerged as a powerful tool to boost the electrochemical performance of energy storage devices. In some cases, the magnetic field is responsible for substantial changes in the structure, morphology, and surface area of electrode materials while in others, the local magnetic environment of the magnetized electrode tunes the storage properties. Further, the magnetic field-driven forces are capable of changing the intrinsic magnetism of electrode materials, controlling the electronic transport and ionic movement at the interface of electrode/electrolyte. Some literature reports the crucial role of magnetic fields in the recycling of waste electrode materials. Hence, the role of a magnetic field cannot be ignored and should be comprehensively studied. Although studies have shown the remarkable contribution of magnetic fields in improving electrochemical performance, the origin of such magnetic field-dependent behavior still lacks adequate understanding and research interest. This review aims to explore the insights of the magnetic field effects from electrode fabrication to electrochemical performance for batteries, supercapacitors, and fuel cells. The fundamentals of the underlying phenomenon of magnetic field on electrochemical energy storage are discussed, followed by the recent advancements with the current challenges and prospects. We tried to bring the attention of the research community towards this fundamental interdisciplinary topic that may bring the development of novel concepts.