At a Glance

• Researchers have developed a universal method to create highly performing and scalable electrolytes for multivalent metal batteries, aiming to devise reversible and more affordable electrolyte systems.
• The method involves a universal cation replacement method to prepare low-cost, high-reversibility magnesium and calcium electrolytes derived from a zinc organoborate solvation structure.
• By fine-tuning anion participation in the primary solvation shell, the researchers achieved a completely dissociated Mg organoborate electrolyte that enables high current endurance and enhanced electrochemical kinetics, and a Ca organoborate electrolyte with strong coordination/B–H inclusion offering a stable solid–electrolyte interphase with high coulombic efficiency.
• The researchers successfully used their method to create a high-loading battery prototype based on Mg/S, achieving a promising 53.4 Wh kg−1, providing innovative strategies for reversible electrolyte systems and high-energy-density multivalent metal batteries.
• This research represents a significant step in developing safer and more efficient battery technologies, potentially impacting the future of electric and hybrid vehicles and other electronic devices.

As the use of electric and hybrid vehicles continues to grow globally, the need for safer and higher-performing battery technologies becomes increasingly important. Engineers have been working to enhance the safety and energy capacity of batteries while also ensuring their scalability and slowing down their degradation over time.

One promising technology that could meet the demands of the electronics industry is rechargeable multivalent metal batteries, which use multivalent ions such as magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) in their anode materials. These batteries can potentially have high energy densities if developed using the right combination of anodes, cathodes, and electrolytes.

Recent studies have identified cost-effective anode materials for these batteries. However, many proposed electrolytes are difficult to source or rely on complex synthesis processes, making them challenging to produce on a large scale.

In a recent breakthrough, researchers at Zhejiang University, the ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, and the Dalian University of Technology have introduced a new, universal method to create highly performing and scalable electrolytes for multivalent metal batteries. Their method, outlined in a paper in Nature Energy, aims to devise reversible and more affordable electrolyte systems, which could be valuable for next-generation battery technologies.

The researchers developed a universal cation replacement method to prepare low-cost, high-reversibility magnesium and calcium electrolytes derived from a zinc organoborate solvation structure. By adjusting the precursor chain length and F-substitution degree, they could fine-tune anion participation in the primary solvation shell. This resulted in a wholly dissociated Mg organoborate electrolyte, enabling high current endurance and enhanced electrochemical kinetics. In contrast, the Ca organoborate electrolyte with strong coordination/B–H inclusion offers a stable solid–electrolyte interphase with high coulombic efficiency.

The researchers successfully used their method to create a high-loading battery prototype based on Mg/S, achieving a promising 53.4 Wh/kg. This work provides innovative strategies for reversible electrolyte systems and high-energy-density multivalent metal batteries, paving the way for creating scalable and safe batteries with higher energy densities.

This research represents a significant step in developing safer and more efficient battery technologies, potentially impacting the future of electric and hybrid vehicles and other electronic devices.

References

• Fadelli, I. & Tech Xplore. (2024, January 21). A cation replacement method to realize highly preforming electrolytes for multivalent metal batteries. Tech Xplore; Tech Xplore. https://techxplore.com/news/2024-01-cation-method-highly-preforming-electrolytes.html
• Li, S., Zhang, J., Zhang, S., Liu, Q., Cheng, H., Fan, L., Zhang, W., Wang, X., Wu, Q., & Lu, Y. (2024). Cation replacement method enables high-performance electrolytes for multivalent metal batteries. Nature Energy, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-023-01439-w