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Looking Beyond Lithium for Breakthroughs in Magnesium-Ion Batteries as Sustainable Solutions

Author

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  • Idowu O. Malachi

    (New Brunswick Community College, Moncton Campus, Moncton, NB E1C 8H9, Canada)

  • Adebukola O. Olawumi

    (Department of Agriculture Sustainability, University of Ibadan, Ibadan 200001, Nigeria)

  • Samuel O. Afolabi

    (Department of Engineering, DN Colleges Group, Doncaster DN1 2RF, UK)

  • B. I. Oladapo

    (School of Engineering and Sustainable Development, De Montfort University, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK
    School of Science and Engineering, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti 360102, Nigeria)

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable and cost-effective battery technologies in electric vehicles (EVs) has driven research into alternatives to lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. This study investigates magnesium-ion (Mg-ion) batteries as a potential solution, focusing on their energy density, cycle stability, safety, and scalability. The research employs a comprehensive methodology, combining electrochemical testing and simulation models, to analyse magnesium-based anodes, sulphur-based cathodes, and advanced electrolytes such as HMDS 2 Mg. Key findings reveal that Mg-ion batteries achieve a practical energy density of 500–1000 mAh/g, comparable to high-performance Li-ion systems. With sulphur–graphene cathodes, Mg-ion batteries demonstrated 92% capacity retention after 500 cycles, a 10% improvement over standard configurations. Ionic conductivity reached 1.2 × 10 −2 S/cm using HMDS 2 Mg electrolytes, significantly reducing passivation layer growth to 5 nm after 100 cycles, outperforming Grignard-based systems by 30%. However, the research identified a 15% reduction in charge–discharge efficiency compared to Li-ion batteries due to slower ion diffusion kinetics. This study highlights the safety advantage of magnesium-ion batteries, which eliminate dendrite formation and reduce thermal runaway risks by 40%. These findings position Mg-ion batteries as a promising, sustainable alternative for EVs, emphasising the need for further optimisation in scalability and efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Idowu O. Malachi & Adebukola O. Olawumi & Samuel O. Afolabi & B. I. Oladapo, 2025. "Looking Beyond Lithium for Breakthroughs in Magnesium-Ion Batteries as Sustainable Solutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-22, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:3782-:d:1639968
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Wang, Cong & Chen, Yunxia, 2024. "Unsupervised dynamic prognostics for abnormal degradation of lithium-ion battery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 365(C).
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