HOUSTON, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) — A team of researchers led by a Texas A&M University chemist has discovered unique material which may help develop more powerful battery, the university said Monday in a press release.

Led by chemist Sarbajit Banerjee, the team has discovered an exceptional metal-oxide magnesium battery cathode material, which might deliver batteries with higher density of energy storage and transformative advances in safety, cost and performance compared to lithium-ion (Li-ion).

“The worldwide push to advance renewable energy is limited by the availability of energy storage vectors,” Banerjee said, adding that lithium-ion technology dominates currently, yet the safety and long-term supply of lithium remain serious concerns.

“By contrast, magnesium is much more abundant than lithium, which has a higher melting point, forms smooth surfaces when recharging, and has the potential to deliver more than a five-fold increase in energy density if an appropriate cathode can be identified,” Banerjee said.

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