Magnesium stannide as a high-capacity anode for magnesium-ion batteries

• Published in: Journal of power sources 2017-11, Vol.368, p.11-17
• Main Authors: Nguyen, Dan-Thien, Song, Seung-Wan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Interfacial reactions; Magnesium-insertion anode; Magnesium-ion batteries; Mg-free cathode; Mg2Sn
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2017.09.054

Driven by the limited global resources of lithium, magnesium metal batteries are considered as potential energy storage systems. The battery chemistry of magnesium metal anode, however, limits the selection of electrolytes, cathode materials and working temperature, making the realization of magnesium metal batteries complicated. Herein, we report the development of a new magnesium-insertion anode, magnesium stannide (Mg2Sn), and demonstrate reversible electrochemical Mg2+-extraction and insertion of Mg2Sn anode at 0.2 V versus Mg, delivering discharge capacity of 270 mAhg−1 in a half-cell with the electrolyte of PhMgCl/THF and enabling of room temperature magnesium-ion batteries with Mg2Sn anode combined with Mg-free oxide cathode and conventional-type electrolyte of Mg(TFSI)2/diglyme. The combination of Mg2Sn anode with various cathodes and electrolytes holds great promise for enabling room temperature magnesium-ion batteries. •Mg2Sn, a high-capacity anode material showing Mg2+-insertion and extraction at 0.2 V.•Synthesis of microsized bulk Mg2Sn anode material using a simple ball-milling.•Stable cycling performance of coin half-cell, delivering discharge capacity 270 mAhg-1.•Studies of interfacial reaction behavior of half-cell Mg2Sn anode by XPS analysis.•Initial cyclability of RT Mg-ion battery, Mg2Sn//V2O5, in conventional electrolyte.