Recent Advances and Prospects of Chalcogenide Cathodes for Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries

Abstract

Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) have garnered considerable interest from researchers and industries owing to their abundant resources, cost‐effectiveness, impressive energy density, and safety features, positioning them as a compelling technology for sustainable energy. Chalcogenides, with their high electrochemical activity and low charge density, facilitate the diffusion and migration of Mg2+. “Soft” anionic lattices, such as S or Se, weaken the Coulombic attraction between the crystal structure and Mg2+, thereby promoting the accelerated diffusion and reversible intercalation of Mg2+. Consequently, they are highly regarded as promising cathode materials for RMBs. However, their real‐world implementation is hindered by challenges including low conductivity, formidable ion diffusion barriers, and insufficient cyclic stability. In this study, chalcogenides are categorized into intercalation‐ and conversion‐types based on the Mg2+ storage mechanism, providing a comprehensive examination and taxonomy of various modification approaches aimed at enhancing the electrochemical performance of chalcogenides. These approaches include intercalation engineering, phase engineering, defect engineering, doping effects, and nanostructure engineering. Furthermore, specific modification strategies for certain chalcogenide cathode materials are summarized and discussed. Finally, the key points of optimization strategies for chalcogenide cathode materials are summarized, along with the proposed future breakthrough directions.