Mg-Li Hybrid Batteries: The Combination of Fast Kinetics and Reduced Overpotential

Abstract

It is imperative for the development of cost-effective and high-performance batteries. Currently, lithium-ion batteries still occupy most of the market. However, limited lithium (Li) resource and energy density retard their further development. The magnesium (Mg) metal has several significant advantages; those make it a viable alternative to Li as anode, including high volume specific capacity and dendrite-free plating during cycling and high abundance. The Mg-Li hybrid batteries can combine the advantages of Li ion and Mg metal to achieve fast electrode kinetics and smooth anode deposition morphology. This review summarizes recent progresses in cathode material design and anode interface modification for Mg-Li hybrid batteries. We aim to illustrate the contribution of Li+ to the electrochemical performance improvement at both cathode and anode sides and to provide inspiration for the future research in this field.