Articles tagged with "sodium-batteries"
Solid-state sodium batteries that offer potential to replace lithium built
Researchers have developed solid-state sodium batteries that maintain performance even at subzero temperatures, marking a significant advancement toward making sodium a viable alternative to lithium in battery technology. Sodium is abundant, inexpensive, and environmentally less damaging than lithium, but prior solid-state sodium batteries struggled with ionic conductivity and performance at room temperature. The team combined computational and experimental methods to stabilize a metastable form of sodium hydridoborate by heating it to its crystallization point and then rapidly cooling it, a technique not previously applied to solid electrolytes. This process kinetically locks the orthorhombic phase, which exhibits fast sodium-ion mobility and significantly higher ionic conductivity—up to an order of magnitude greater than previously reported structures. By pairing this stabilized sodium hydridoborate phase with a chloride-based solid-electrolyte-coated cathode, the researchers created thick, high-areal-loading composite cathodes that retain performance down to subzero temperatures. This design contrasts with earlier strategies that used thin cathodes,
energysolid-state-batteriessodium-batteriesbattery-materialsenergy-storagesolid-electrolytesmetastable-materialsSodium structure powers solid-state batteries below freezing temps
Researchers at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have developed a new sodium-based solid-state battery technology that performs effectively at room temperature and below freezing, marking a significant advance for sodium batteries which have historically struggled under real-world conditions. The breakthrough centers on stabilizing a previously unreported metastable structure of sodium hydridoborate, achieved by heating and rapidly cooling the material to lock in a crystal form. This structure exhibits ionic conductivity at least an order of magnitude higher than previously reported sodium electrolytes, enabling better battery performance. The team combined this metastable electrolyte with an O3-type cathode coated with a chloride-based solid electrolyte, allowing for thick, high-loading cathodes that increase the theoretical energy density by packing more active material into the battery. This design contrasts with traditional thin cathodes that contain more inactive material, thus improving energy storage capacity. The innovation not only enhances sodium battery performance but also offers a more cost-effective and sustainable alternative to lithium-based batteries, potentially enabling gig
energysolid-state-batteriessodium-batteriesbattery-technologyionic-conductivityenergy-storagematerials-scienceSalt tweak gives sodium batteries 500 cycles and 70% retention
Researchers from Lingnan University, in collaboration with Tsinghua University and the Beijing Institute of Technology, have developed an improved sodium battery that overcomes key limitations such as instability, short circuits, and rapid capacity loss during fast charging. By simply increasing the salt concentration in the electrolyte, the team was able to control sodium ion deposition more smoothly, preventing dendrite formation that typically damages sodium batteries. This adjustment enabled the battery to achieve fast charging speeds of 10C (charging in minutes) and maintain over 70% capacity retention after 500 charge-discharge cycles, marking a significant durability milestone. The innovation hinges on shifting the deposition kinetics from diffusion-controlled to charge-transfer-controlled, enhancing safety and longevity without the presence of metallic sodium in the fully discharged state. Sodium offers advantages over lithium due to its abundance, lower cost (less than a tenth of lithium), and environmental benefits, potentially reducing the cost of electric vehicles and grid storage solutions. However, challenges remain, including the need to further extend cycle life
energysodium-batteriesbattery-technologyfast-chargingelectrolyte-chemistryenergy-storageelectric-vehiclesAnother Sodium Energy Storage Startup Vows To Carry On After Natron Crashes - CleanTechnica
The article reports on the closure of Natron, a US-based "salt battery" startup that was developing sodium-based energy storage solutions, resulting in the loss of about 1,000 factory jobs and a setback for renewable energy storage efforts. Natron had been preparing to produce sodium batteries at a North Carolina facility with plans for significant capacity expansion, but recently wound down operations at both its Michigan headquarters and North Carolina site. While the company did not provide explicit reasons, the article attributes part of the failure to the negative impact of US tariffs and political opposition to domestic wind and solar industries under the Trump administration, including legislative actions that harmed factory jobs. Despite Natron’s closure, the article highlights ongoing progress in sodium energy storage through another US startup, Inlyte. Inlyte is advancing a sodium-iron battery technology that leverages the advantages of sodium—such as abundance, safety, and cost-effectiveness—especially for long-duration grid-scale storage exceeding 10 hours, which lithium-ion batteries typically
energy-storagesodium-batteriesrenewable-energygrid-scale-storagebattery-technologyclean-energyenergy-innovationSodium Batteries: Yet Another Sign EVs Are Here To Stay
energysodium-batterieselectric-vehiclesEV-technologybattery-innovationsustainable-energyclean-transportationSolid-state battery breakthrough promises 100x charging power
solid-state-batteriesenergy-storagesodium-batteriesionic-conductivitysustainable-materialsbattery-technologyenergy-density