Issue 45, 2016

Impact of intermediate sites on bulk diffusion barriers: Mg intercalation in Mg2Mo3O8

Abstract

The ongoing search for high voltage positive electrode materials for Mg batteries has been primarily hampered by poor Mg mobility in bulk oxide frameworks. Motivated by the presence of Mo3 clusters that can facilitate charge redistribution and the presence of Mg in a non-preferred (tetrahedral) coordination environment, we have investigated the Mg (de)intercalation behavior in layered-Mg2Mo3O8, a potential positive electrode. While no electrochemical activity is observed, chemical demagnesiation of Mg2Mo3O8 is successful but leads to amorphization. Subsequent first-principles calculations predict a strong thermodynamic driving force for structure decomposition at low Mg concentrations and high activation barriers for bulk Mg diffusion, in agreement with experimental observations. Further analysis of the Mg diffusion pathway reveals an O–Mg–O dumbbell intermediate site that creates a high Mg2+ migration barrier, indicating the influence of transition states on setting the magnitude of migration barriers.

Graphical abstract: Impact of intermediate sites on bulk diffusion barriers: Mg intercalation in Mg2Mo3O8

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
08 Sep 2016
Accepted
18 Oct 2016
First published
18 Oct 2016
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2016,4, 17643-17648

Impact of intermediate sites on bulk diffusion barriers: Mg intercalation in Mg2Mo3O8

G. S. Gautam, X. Sun, V. Duffort, L. F. Nazar and G. Ceder, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2016, 4, 17643 DOI: 10.1039/C6TA07804D

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