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From the ocean to the military: The mysterious uses of magnesium batteries revealed!
With the rapid advancement of battery technology today, magnesium batteries are receiving more and more attention as a potential alternative technology. From undersea to military applications, magnesium batteries’ versatile uses make them an important candidate for current exploration of new energy technologies.
Basic concepts of magnesium batteries
Magnesium battery is a battery that uses magnesium cations as carriers. This type of battery can include disposable batteries and rechargeable secondary batteries. Although the research on magnesium batteries has a long history, the exploration of secondary magnesium batteries has become increasingly active in recent years, and many scientists believe that it can replace or improve lithium-ion batteries in some applications.
The significant advantage of magnesium batteries is that their energy density is higher than that of lithium batteries, and the performance of magnesium metal as an anode also makes magnesium batteries an option worth exploring.
Development of primary magnesium batteries
As early as the early 20th century, scientists began to explore the possibility of magnesium batteries. This kind of battery utilizes the low stability and high energy of magnesium metal in the anode and was once widely used in special fields such as the military. For example, the U.S. military has used a magnesium dry battery called BA-4386 since 1968, which was not replaced by lithium batteries until 1984.
With a theoretical operating voltage of 3.1 volts and an energy density of 6.8 kilowatt-hours per kilogram, magnesium-air batteries are a disposable battery option with great potential.
Potential of secondary magnesium batteries
With the deepening of research on secondary magnesium batteries, magnesium-ion batteries have gradually revealed their advantages in certain applications. The theoretical energy density of magnesium is lower than that of lithium, but its volumetric energy density is 50% higher. In addition, magnesium anodes do not produce dendrites, which gives them more possibilities in battery design.
Research suggests that magnesium-based batteries may have a cost advantage because of magnesium's relative abundance and ease of mining.
Applications of magnesium batteries in military and marine applications
The application of magnesium batteries is undoubtedly worthy of attention, and its potential in military and marine environments has made it a focus of research by scientists. For example, the water-activated magnesium battery used in the Mark 44 torpedo has shown its reliability in special scenarios.
In addition, an innovative application of magnesium batteries in marine applications is to use seawater as the electrolyte, which not only reduces design costs but also improves performance in underwater environments. This makes magnesium batteries a new star in future ocean energy supplies.
Challenges and future prospects
While magnesium batteries offer many advantages, they also face some challenges. A major drawback of secondary magnesium batteries is that a passive, non-conductive film appears on the anode surface during charging, which limits battery performance. Scientists are working hard to find solutions, such as using different alloys and electrolytes to reduce this phenomenon.
In the research of magnesium batteries, many new materials and electrolytes have been explored, and these innovations may pave the way for the future of magnesium battery technology.
Conclusion
The potential of magnesium batteries is clearly huge, and its versatility in marine and military applications is impressive. With the development of science and technology, magnesium batteries will also face new challenges and opportunities. In the face of increasing demand for renewable energy, will magnesium batteries become the key to the next generation of energy solutions?
