Abstract
Following in the footsteps of lithium-sulfur batteries, magnesium-sulfur batteries offer a high theoretical energy content and are composed of cheap and more environmentally-friendly electrode materials. In comparison to lithium-sulfur, however, current magnesium-sulfur batteries suffer from higher overpotentials at the magnesium anode and the sulfur cathode, lower material utilization and reversibility at the sulfur cathode, and an excessive demand of electrolyte. Here, a side-by-side comparison of the processes at the two metal anodes and at the sulfur cathode in Li+- or Mg2+-based electrolytes highlights how most of the challenges facing magnesium-sulfur batteries are intrinsically rooted in the nature of the magnesium species, requiring different research directions than lithium-sulfur batteries. An evaluation of the energy content and the corresponding costs on a practical cell stack level illustrates the importance of overcoming these challenges.
Highlights
Following in the footsteps of lithium-sulfur batteries, magnesium-sulfur batteries offer a high theoretical energy content and are composed of cheap and more environmentally-friendly electrode materials
Due to the high capacities of sulfur and the metal anodes, the cell systems correlate with high theoretical energy contents
These are highest for Li–S batteries (LSBs) (2654 Wh kg–1 and 2856 Wh L–1) and Mg–S batteries (MSBs) (1684 Wh kg–1 and 3221 Wh L–1)[8]
Summary
Based on the specific energies of LSBs and MSBs on cell stack level, the E:S ratio and sulfur loading dependent material costs per kWh are estimated. X.-C. et al Direct insights into the electrochemical processes at anode/ electrolyte interfaces in magnesium-sulfur batteries. Zhao-Karger, Z. et al Performance improvement of magnesium sulfur batteries with modified non-nucleophilic electrolytes. P. et al Performance study of magnesium-sulfur battery using a graphene based sulfur composite cathode electrode and a non-nucleophilic Mg electrolyte. A new class of Solvent-inSalt electrolyte for high-energy rechargeable metallic lithium batteries. E. et al The effect of a solid electrolyte interphase on the mechanism of operation of lithium-sulfur batteries. P. et al Best practice: performance and cost evaluation of lithium ion battery active materials with special emphasis on energy efficiency. A. et al BatPaC (Battery Performance and Cost) Software 4.0 (Argonne National Laboratory, 2020)
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