TOHOKU, Japan, Oct. 15, 2025- Researcheres at Tohoku University in Japan have been able to build a prototype rechargeable magnesium battery that performs stably at room temperature, addressing a major challenge in magnesium-based energy storage for the first time.  This represents the potential for safer, sustainable, and fast-charging batteries that can help reduce worldwide dependence on lithium.

The new research, published in the scientific journal Communications Materials, details how the team overcame the slow reaction kinetics of magnesium, which had previously prevented it from functioning effectively in a room-temperature environment.

The Quest for an Alternative to Lithium

As the demand for large-scale, sustainable energy storage devices grows, the scarcity of lithium resources presents a major constraint for the continued production of lithium-ion batteries . In contrast, magnesium is abundant in the Earth’s crust and widely available . These attributes have made it a promising candidate for next-generation batteries, which also boast a theoretical energy density up to 1.5 times that of lithium-ion batteries.

“Lithium is a scarce resource and cannot meet the growing production demand for lithium-ion batteries,” the researchers noted, highlighting the need for alternative solutions . However, the slow reaction speed of magnesium at room temperature had been a critical barrier to its practical adoption.

A Innovative Cathode Design

The key to this advancement lies in the design of a novel amorphous oxide cathode . This cathode material is composed of magnesium, a small amount of lithium, along with tellurium, molybdenum, and oxygen . The innovative structure utilizes an ion-exchange mechanism between lithium and magnesium, which creates efficient migration channels that allow magnesium ions to move in and out of the cathode smoothly at room temperature.

“This design allows magnesium ions to be efficiently embedded and detached at room temperature, thereby supporting stable battery cycling,” the team explained in their findings . This mechanism effectively addresses the core challenge of slow magnesium ion mobility.

Proven Performance in Testing

To validate the battery’s performance, the researchers constructed a full-sized prototype battery for testing . The results were compelling: even after 200 charge-discharge cycles, the battery maintained a stable energy output . In a practical voltage test, the prototype successfully powered a blue light-emitting diode (LED), demonstrating its ability to supply power to an external circuit.

The team also conducted rigorous chemical analyses that confirmed the battery’s capacity originated from genuine magnesium ion insertion reactions, rather than from side reactions that had skewed the results of previous studies.

Professor Tetsu Ichitsubo of Tohoku University emphasized the significance of this achievement, stating that this work reliably demonstrates, for the first time, that an oxide cathode can support the stable operation of a rechargeable magnesium battery at room temperature . He added that the battery’s ability to deliver usable energy, unlike in previous demonstrations where negative discharge voltage was observed, is particularly encouraging.

Safer and More Sustainable

Beyond addressing resource scarcity, magnesium batteries offer a significant safety advantage. Unlike lithium, the deposition of magnesium does not produce dendrites—the needle-like structures that can grow inside lithium batteries and cause short circuits, leading to fires . This fundamental property positions magnesium batteries as a potentially safer alternative for applications from grid-scale energy storage to electric vehicles.

The Road Ahead

This breakthrough not only proves the feasibility of using oxide cathodes in rechargeable magnesium batteries but also establishes key design principles for future positive electrode materials . These principles include controlling nanoscale particle size and enhancing compatibility with advanced electrolytes.

The research team is now collaborating with industrial partners to advance the construction of pilot production lines, with the goal of achieving commercial battery production within three years . As this technology continues to evolve, it promises to reshape the landscape of energy storage, offering a more secure and environmentally friendly path forward.