Sodium-ion batteries are a valid alternative to Lithium-ion batteries


Date:
September 22, 2020
Source:
University of Warwick
Summary:
A team of scientists combined their knowledge and expertise to
assess the current status of the Na-ion technology from materials
to cell development, offering a realistic comparison of the key
performance indicators for NBs and LIBs.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Lithium (Li)-ion batteries (LIBs) are the electrochemical energy storage systems of choice for a wide variety of applications, however other
types of emerging battery technologies are currently on the path to
share their dominant position.


========================================================================== Among them Sodium (Na)-ion batteries (NIBs) have great potential to
represent the next generation low cost and environmentally friendly
energy storage solution. The diverse key performance indicators required
by different applications and the market diversification is the driving
force pushing the Na-ion technology closer to the market.

A team of scientists including WMG at the University of Warwick combined
their knowledge and expertise to assess the current status of the Na-ion technology from materials to cell development, offering a realistic
comparison of the key performance indicators for NBs and LIBs.

LIBs play a primary role in the transition to a low carbon
economy. However, as the market rapidly expands, the environmental
and social challenges associated with the mass production of LIBs is
triggering large attention toward the search for alternative energy
storage solutions based on materials that can be sourced in a sustainable
and responsible way. In this scenario, NIBs represent an alternative
low cost, sustainable and more environmentally friendly energy storage technology.

In the paper 'Challenges of today for Na-based batteries of the future:
from materials to cell metrics', published on the 18th of September 2020
in the Journal of Power Sources, a large team of Na-ion technology expert scientists, led by WMG, at the University of Warwick (UK) analyse the
prospect of NIBs taking a spot in the energy storage market. The paper
also includes researchers from: Helmholtz Institute Ulm (Germany), College
de France (France), Humboldt University Berlin (Germany), Institute for
Energy technology (Norway), Universite' de Picardie Jules Verne (France), University of Bordeaux (France) and CIC energiGUNE (Spain).

Na- based batteries offer a combination of attractive properties. They
are low cost, use sustainable precursors and have secure raw material
supplies. In addition, they are considered as a drop-in technology which
could benefit from the already existing Li-ion batteries manufacturing facilities.

As Li-based systems, Na-based batteries come in different forms, such
as Na- ion, Na-all-solid-state-batteries, NaO2 and Na/S. While the last
ones are seen as disruptive future technologies, the Na-ion technology represent an attractive technology almost ready to challenge the Li-ion batteries in specific applications.

Performance metrics are of utmost importance for the SIB technology to
ensure a competitive cost per Wh and find a place in the market. In this
work, the most promising electrode materials and electrolyte systems have
been reviewed and performance metrics from the academic literature have
been used to extrapolate full sodium ion cells performance indicators.

Authors indicate that with the ongoing development, the present best
materials available for Na-ion cells should allow approaching the energy density of the present generation of Li-ion commercial cells. One of the
most important application field for the developed sodium-ion battery prototypes is certainly stationary energy storage systems, where cost
and cycle life represent two fundamental parameters. "In this field
sodium-ion batteries have the potential to dominate the future market representing the most promising system to fill the gap between energy production and utilization by securing energy supply.

However high-power applications in the electrified automotive field
are a potential niche field application for NIBs" says Dr Ivana Hasa,
Assistant Professor at WMG.

Further technological improvements are needed to increase the performance especially in terms of energy density. Extremely encouraging results
have been achieved for the Na-ion technology in a very short time when
compared to the Li-ion technology. Technological improvement will be
achieved by cell component fabrication/assembly optimization, as occurred
in the last thirty years for the LIB technology.

Dr Ivana Hasa, from WMG, University of Warwick comments: "From an
applied research point of view, the future research efforts should be
devoted on fundamental research, materials discovery and understanding
of the thermodynamic and kinetic processes governing the chemistry of
these systems.

In addition, the investigation of upscaled Na-ion batteries is of primary importance to obtain realistic data to benchmark the progress of the
technology as well as the adoption of a common reporting methodology in
the scientific community enabling a fair comparison among performance
results."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Warwick. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Ivana Hasa, Sathiya Mariyappan, Damien Saurel, Philipp Adelhelm,
Alexey
Y. Koposov, Christian Masquelier, Laurence Croguennec, Montse Casas-
Cabanas. Challenges of today for Na-based batteries of the future:
From materials to cell metrics. Journal of Power Sources, 2021;
482: 228872 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2020.228872 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200922102424.htm

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