Could antimony be a viable alternative to a liquid-metal battery?

Antimony is a chemical element that could find new life in the cathode of a liquid-metal battery design. Cost is a crucial variable for any battery that could serve as a viable option for renewable energy storage on the grid.

Does Antimonene have a large binding energy?

Compared with the heterostructure of antimonene, the monolayer has a relatively large binding energy for Mg atoms (−0.72 eV for antimonene and −0.70 eV for the heterostructure).

Could a liquid-metal battery reduce energy storage costs?

Now, however, a liquid-metal battery scheduled for a real-world deployment in 2024 could lower energy storage costs considerably. Donald Sadoway, a material chemist and professor emeritus at MIT, has kept affordability foremost on his mind for his many battery inventions over the years, including a recent aluminum-sulfur battery.

What are the advantages of a/G heterostructure in magnesium ion batteries?

Volume 577, 1 March 2022, 151880 Mg has low diffusion barrier and high capacity on antimonene surface. A/G heterostructure enhances the stability of the system. The heterostructure further improves the conductivity of the electrode. The development of magnesium-ion batteries requires anode materials with high capacity and fast kinetics.

Is molten metals pursuing antimony production in North America?

Molten Metals Corp., a Canadian mineral-exploration company, is also pursuing antimony production in North America. The company has mineral rights to an antimony mine in Nova Scotia that has been abandoned since the 1960s.

Does Ambri need a steady supply of antimony?

As Ambri scales up, it will have to ensure a steady supply of antimony. Nearly 90 percent of the world’s antimony today comes from China, Russia, and Tajikistan, according to Investor Intel. In August 2021, Ambri signed a supply agreement with Perpetua Resources, one of the few U.S. producers of antimony.