The electrochemical behaviors of Mg, Mg-Li-Al-Ce and Mg-Li-Al-Ce-Y in sodium chloride solution

► The Mg-Li-Al-Ce-Y is a new material that has been studied as the anode of Mg-H2O2 semi-fuel cell. ► The fuel cell performance is improved when Mg-Li-Al-Ce-Y is used as the anode of Mg-H2O2 semi-fuel cell (compared with Mg) and it may be the substituting material for Mg (the commercial anode in Mg-H2O2 fuel cell). ► The electrochemical behaviors of Mg-Li-Al-Ce-Y are studied for the first time. ► The electrochemical behaviors of Mg-Li-Al-Ce are studied systematically for the first time.