Revisiting Mg-Mg2Ni System from Electronic Perspective

Both Mg and Mg2Ni are promising electrode materials in conversion-type secondary batteries. Earlier studies have shown their single-phase prospects in electro-devices, while in this work, we have quantitatively reported the electronic properties of their dual-phase materials, that is, Mg-Mg2Ni alloys, and analyzed the underlying reasons behind the property changes of materials. The hypoeutectic Mg-Mg2Ni alloys are found to be evidently more conductive than the hypereutectic Mg-Mg2Ni system. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations give the intrinsic origin of electronic structures of both Mg2Ni and Mg. The morphology of quasi-nanoscale eutectics is another factor that can affect the electronic properties of the investigated alloy system; that is, the electrical property change of the investigated alloys system is due to a combination of the intrinsic property difference between the two constituting phases and the change of eutectic microstructures that affect electron scattering. In addition, regarding the Mg-Mg2Ni alloy design for device applications, the electronic property and mechanical aspect should be well balanced.