title: Structure and compatibility of a magnesium electrolyte with a sulphur cathode.
abstract: Magnesium metal is an ideal rechargeable battery anode material because of its high volumetric energy density, high negative reduction potential and natural abundance. Coupling Mg with high capacity, low-cost cathode materials such as electrophilic sulphur is only possible with a non-nucleophilic electrolyte. Here we show how the crystallization of the electrochemically active species formed from the reaction between hexamethyldisilazide magnesium chloride and aluminum trichloride enables the synthesis of a non-nucleophilic electrolyte. Furthermore, crystallization was essential in the identification of the electroactive species, [Mg(2)(μ-Cl)(3)·6THF](+), and vital to improvements in the voltage stability and coulombic efficiency of the electrolyte. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the sulphur electrode confirmed that the electrochemical conversion between sulphur and magnesium sulfide can be successfully performed using this electrolyte.
authors.affiliation: Toyota Research Institute of North America, 1555 Woodridge Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105, USA.
authors.forename: Hee Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Timothy S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Arthur
authors.forename: Gary D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Allred
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zajicek
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Alexander E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Rodnyansky
authors.forename: Allen G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Oliver
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Boggess
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muldoon