IISc Scientists Unlock ‘Chaotic’ Materials for Next-Gen Magnesium Batteries

Bengaluru: In a breakthrough that could redefine the future of energy storage, the researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have shown that “chaos” in materials may hold the key to safer, cheaper, and more powerful batteries.

What new study find

The new study points to magnesium batteries—long seen as a promising alternative to lithium-ion cells—as the next big leap in powering devices and electric vehicles.“Each magnesium atom can exchange two electrons, compared to just one for lithium. That means nearly double the energy per atom,” explains Sai Gautam Gopalakrishnan, Assistant Professor at IISc’s Department of Materials Engineering.

Challenge With magnesium

The challenge so far has been speed: magnesium ions move sluggishly in the neat, crystalline structures used in cathodes. The IISc team turned this problem on its head. By designing amorphous—or chaotic and disordered—materials using artificial intelligence, they found magnesium ions can move up to 100,000 times faster than in crystalline forms.This discovery could open a new chapter for the energy industry. Lithium batteries currently dominate everything from smartphones to electric cars, but they face limits in energy density, safety, and cost.

Importance of Magnesium in Battery

Magnesium, being more abundant, cheaper, and less prone to fire, could provide an edge.For consumers, the implications are clear: safer gadgets at home, longer-lasting EVs on the road, and greener energy storage solutions. For India’s growing clean-tech and EV startup sector, the findings spell opportunity. “Our work offers a completely different pathway to identify electrode materials and takes us a step closer to commercialization,” says Gopalakrishnan.Industry watchers note that the mix of AI-driven materials design and magnesium chemistry could give rise to deep-tech startups focused on next-gen batteries.

Benefits to New Startup

With the global EV race heating up, India could carve a niche as a leader in energy innovation.The team is now calling on experimentalists and startups to validate the amorphous materials in the lab. “The key takeaway is that using amorphous materials increases ion mobility, but stability must be tested,” says co-author Debsundar Dey.If successful, magnesium batteries could soon power the devices in our pockets and the cars on our streets—built not on perfect order, but on controlled chaos.