New cathode materials for rechargeable Mg batteries: fast Mg ion transport and reversible copper extrusion in CuyMo6S8 compounds

We report on a discovery of fast cathode materials, ternary Chevrel phases (CPs), CuyMo6S8, for rechargeable magnesium batteries; the related electrochemical process displays a unique coupling between reversible Mg insertion, and Cu extrusion/reinsertion; this coupling results in an entirely new intercalation mechanism which combines the total chemical reversibility of the electrochemical reaction of MgxCuyMo6S8 with irreversibility of its separate stages once Cu extrusion stage is reached (in MgxCuyMo6S8: 0.5x + y > 4).