Nature Research, Nature Communications, 1(9), 2018
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07484-4
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AbstractRechargeable magnesium batteries are one of the most promising candidates for next-generation battery technologies. Despite recent significant progress in the development of efficient electrolytes, an on-going challenge for realization of rechargeable magnesium batteries remains to overcome the sluggish kinetics caused by the strong interaction between double charged magnesium-ions and the intercalation host. Herein, we report that a magnesium battery chemistry with fast intercalation kinetics in the layered molybdenum disulfide structures can be enabled by using solvated magnesium-ions ([Mg(DME)x]2+). Our study demonstrates that the high charge density of magnesium-ion may be mitigated through dimethoxyethane solvation, which avoids the sluggish desolvation process at the cathode-electrolyte interfaces and reduces the trapping force of the cathode lattice to the cations, facilitating magnesium-ion diffusion. The concept of using solvation effect could be a general and effective route to tackle the sluggish intercalation kinetics of magnesium-ions, which can potentially be extended to other host structures.