Lithium policy dividend + technological breakthrough: How does magnesium hydroxide lead the new energy vehicle material track?
At the critical stage of the new energy vehicle industry's move towards high-quality development, material innovation has become the core engine driving industry change. As a key material with both resource endowment and technological breakthrough potential, magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)₂) is relying on the dual power of policy support and technological innovation to move from behind the scenes to the front, becoming a "super material" that reconstructs the three major fields of power batteries, hydrogen energy storage and transportation, and lightweight manufacturing.
1. Policy dividend: The rise of magnesium-based materials under national strategy
Top-level design plus
The 2025 government work report clearly proposed "promoting the development of the entire chain of hydrogen energy 'production, storage, transportation and use'", and magnesium-based materials, as the core carrier of hydrogen storage and battery technology, have been included in the national energy security strategic framework. Pan Fusheng, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, called for the establishment of a special project to support the industrialization of magnesium batteries and magnesium hydrogen storage technology at the two sessions, and suggested that the "three exemptions and three reductions" tax incentives and equipment subsidy policies be implemented for related enterprises 710. At present, 29 provincial administrative regions across the country have issued special plans for hydrogen energy, laying the foundation for the application of magnesium-based materials10.
Dual drive of finance and standards
According to the "China Magnesium Hydroxide Market Strategic Plan 2024-2030", the country plans to support the construction of 1,000-ton production lines for magnesium-based materials during the "15th Five-Year Plan" through channels such as ultra-long-term treasury bonds and national key R&D projects. At the same time, the establishment of the National Magnesium Battery Standard Formulation Committee will accelerate the process of technical standardization27.
Industry Chain Collaborative Incentives
The Central Government's "Opinions on Accelerating the Comprehensive Green Transformation of Economic and Social Development" clearly requires that new energy vehicles become the mainstream of sales by 2035, and supporting infrastructure such as hydrogen refueling stations will be improved. This provides a large-scale application scenario for magnesium-based hydrogen storage materials10.
2. Technological breakthrough: Reconstructing material value in four dimensions
1. Power battery revolution
Lithium dendrite suppression: Magnesium hydroxide forms a physical barrier through nano-coating (thickness <500nm), reducing the nucleation density of lithium dendrites by 72%, making the cycle life of lithium metal batteries exceed 1,500 times, and the energy density reaches 450Wh/kg, which is 150% higher than the traditional solution13.
Positive electrode material modification: As a positive electrode additive, magnesium hydroxide can compress the material volume expansion rate from 5-8% to 1.2%, and increase the discharge capacity by 33% (from 180mAh/g to 240mAh/g)17.
2. Safety performance leap
The flame retardant properties of magnesium hydroxide (decomposition temperature 350℃) can absorb heat and release moisture, raising the battery thermal runaway trigger temperature from 140℃ to 180℃. CATL's latest patent shows that the technology has passed UL 2580 certification and has become a core solution for high-safety batteries57.
3. Hydrogen energy storage and transportation revolution
The volume density of magnesium-based solid hydrogen storage materials reaches 110kg/m³, far exceeding high-pressure gaseous hydrogen storage (40kg/m³), and can be safely transported at room temperature and pressure. The magnesium alloy deep processing technology developed by Baowu Magnesium has achieved a 30% reduction in the cost of hydrogen storage tanks, pushing the terminal price of hydrogen towards the target of 30 yuan/kg37.
4. Lightweight manufacturing breakthrough
Magnesium alloy parts are 30% lighter than aluminum alloys. Baowu Magnesium has reduced the cost of automotive magnesium alloy parts to 85% of the aluminum price through integrated die-casting technology, and has successfully applied it to Tesla Cybertruck chassis structural parts. In 2024, the global magnesium alloy automotive parts market size will increase by 24% year-on-year, and China will account for 70% of production capacity36.
3. Industry landing: the leap from laboratory to mass-produced vehicles
Field Typical cases Key data
Power battery Zehui Technology and Guoxuan High-tech cooperated production line Single cell 450Wh/kg, cost reduction of 12%1
Hydrogen energy storage and transportation Toyota sulfide solid-state battery + magnesium-based hydrogen storage system Endurance 1000km, mass production in 20277
Lightweight components Baowu Magnesium Industry magnesium alloy integrated die casting Cost $3.5/kg, 15% lower than aluminum3
International competition QuantumScape magnesium-carbon nanotube composite coating technology 2000 cycles under 4.5V high voltage with zero dendrites7
4. Challenges and future: the key to unlocking the trillion-dollar market potential
Conductivity bottleneck
The intrinsic conductivity of magnesium hydroxide is only 10⁻¹² S/cm. The Chinese Academy of Sciences has increased it to 10⁻⁴ S/cm through carbon-coated nanowire technology, and BYD has achieved a 5-fold increase in ion mobility using graphene composite coating73.
Long cycle verification system
The industry urgently needs to establish a 10-year (3,000 cycles) accelerated aging test standard. The 2,500 cycle data (capacity retention rate of 76%) currently released by BYD is still insufficient, and the attenuation rate under high temperature conditions needs to be further optimized7.
Multi-material collaborative design
The "α-Si3N4 membrane + magnesium hydroxide" solution developed by Tokyo Institute of Technology extends the dendrite puncture tolerance time by 8 times; MIT temperature-responsive self-healing coating technology gives the material dynamic repair ability73.
The rise of magnesium hydroxide is not only a victory for materials science, but also a collaborative example of policy guidance and technological innovation. From Academician Pan Fusheng's assertion that "magnesium batteries will become energy-disrupting technology" to the industrialization practices of companies such as Zehui and Baowu Magnesium, China is reshaping the global new energy vehicle material track with its dual advantages in resources and technology. As Wu Kai, chief scientist of CATL, said: "When the world is chasing scarce minerals, we choose to return to the intrinsic value of materials-this may be the most profound strategic transformation of China's new energy industry.