• Sodium-ion batteries could be used to store solar energy and power electric vehicles.
• They work efficiently in low temperatures, have a high energy density, and are widely available.
• Sodium-based batteries will cost even less than conventional lithium ion batteries.

You must not be familiar with sodium-ion batteries. They do in fact exist and have a lot of promise. The batteries are affordable, easily accessible; and operate effectively in low temperatures. In addition, sodium-based batteries will be more affordable and ecologically; benign than traditional lithium-ion batteries. The sole drawback of sodium-ion batteries’ performance; is their short lifespan, although this is about to improve. A sodium-ion battery with a greatly increased lifetime was just developed; by a research team from the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The study, which was written up in the journal Nature Energy; presents a promising recipe for a battery that one day; may be used to store solar energy and power electric vehicles.

[embedpost slug=”this-is-how-new-lithium-batteries-are-made-from-recycling-old-batteries”]

The researchers primarily changed the battery’s liquid core. Performance issues that plagued older sodium-based batteries; are now resolved by this adjustment. In addition, the electrolyte acts as the battery’s “blood”; keeping the energy flowing, claims PNNL. The electrolyte is made by dissolving salts in solvents; this creates charged ions, which flow between the positive and negative electrodes. The energy-maintaining electrochemical processes degrade with time; and the battery can no longer be fillable again. Compared to the current sodium-ion battery technologies; this process happens a lot faster with lithium-ion batteries. In order to solve that problem; the PNNL team created a new electrolyte composition by altering the liquid solution; and the type of salt that flows through it.

Jiguang (Jason) Zhang, a leader in battery technology; with more than 23 energy storage patents, and the lead author from PNNL, stated,

Here, we have demonstrated the theoretical viability of sodium-ion batteries; as a long-lasting and green battery technology.

For the first time ever, researchers were able to charge a coin-sized battery 300 times or more; without suffering much capacity loss (>90% conserved).

[embedpost slug=”lg-energy-solution-to-supply-batteries-to-japans-isuzu-motors”]