SMART ENERGY
MAGNESIUM
A third option in the pursuit of energy density is magnesium . Compared to lithium , magnesium contains double the electrons for each magnesium ion , according to the Argonne National Laboratory . This means it can store twice the amount of energy as lithium . It also has a more robust supply chain due to being more abundant , is more sustainable to engineer , and the price of the raw material is significantly less than the highest grade of lithium-ion .
Because of magnesium ’ s relatively small size as an ion , it can carry a lot of electric charge – a disadvantage which can result in it reacting with surrounding materials and limiting its lifetime .
Furthermore , despite the energy density properties , magnesium tends to generate heat during use which could prove detrimental to the battery ’ s functionality .
44 December 2022