Step aside lithium and alkaline. Magnesium might be the next power player in the battery world. Studies have shown that a magnesium-based energy storage device could be safer and more powerful than its metal competitors.
Magnesium, lithium, and metal-Air batteries
The Earth has more Magnesium than Lithium. Magnesium ions also have a higher energy density and two positive charges. Lithium ions are smaller and have a single positive charge.
Most might be familiar with lithium and lithium-ion batteries. They’re found in flashlights, cameras, security systems, and even cell phones, tablets, vaping devices, tools, e-bikes, and Metal-air batteries use oxygen to generate electricity.
The magnesium-air battery (Mg-air) from Tohoku University is innovative, however. The researchers made it out of paper, first of all, and it runs on water.
A paper-based magnesium-air battery
In a fascinating new study, researchers documented that the respiratory system of plants inspired them to make the Mg-air battery.
“We thought that,” the authors of the study write, “if a system in which paper absorbs electrolyte by capillary force, like plants suck up water from the ground, could be applied to magnesium–air batteries, the problem of magnesium dissolving in the electrolyte and self-discharging would be solved.
“The battery performance depends on the water absorbent paper,” in other words.
Paper-based devices reduce the use of metals and plastics, so this magnesium-air battery poses the least threat to the environment. Metal-air batteries, typically, regardless, use heavy metals.
They can’t just be thrown away, even if they contain heavy metals in small quantities. They’re still dangerous for the environment. Paper-based batteries are disposable.
An eco-friendly battery that delivers High-performance
Finally, the paper-based magnesium-air battery has a high-performance output. One of the hurdles scientists have faced with using magnesium as an energy source is its low mobility rate. Lithium ions move faster.
Studies have already shown that magnesium ions can be manipulated to have a faster mobility rate. After all, no one wants to wait for hours and hours for their electronics to charge.
This paper-based magnesium-air battery thus proves itself on two levels. It could become the first eco-friendly energy storage device that meets high-performance standards. A material as thin as paper might just blow the heavyweight metals away.
