Researchers have developed a new coin-shaped sodium-based battery that can be rapidly charged in “seconds” and could one day power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles (EVs).
By combining the anode materials used in conventional batteries with the cathode of a supercapacitor (a battery that can store and deliver energy at very high rates), scientists have achieved both high capacity and fast charging capabilities. We have created a new type of sodium ion battery with
They are exploring ways to overcome the current limitations of sodium-ion energy storage, which is touted as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, and published their findings in a study published March 29 in the journal Energy Storage Materials. explained.
Researchers said in a joint statement that the new sodium-ion hybrid fuel cell could serve as a “viable next-generation battery alternative to lithium-ion batteries” and could be used in applications ranging from laptops and mobile devices to electric vehicles and aerospace technology. He said that it has a wide range of applications.
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Sodium is much more abundant than lithium, up to 1,000 times more abundant, the researchers said. Sodium-ion batteries could therefore be cheaper and more sustainable to produce than the lithium-ion batteries currently used to power most EVs and consumer electronics.
However, existing sodium-ion batteries have lower power output and storage capacity than lithium-ion batteries, and take longer to charge, limiting their potential applications. In the new study, researchers sought ways to address the shortcomings of this technique.
The study is a “groundbreaking achievement that overcomes the current limitations of energy storage systems,” said Jeung Ku Kang, lead author of the study and professor of materials science and engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). statement.
They achieved their prototype by developing a new type of anode consisting of ultrafine iron sulfide particles embedded in sulfur-doped carbon and graphene. This improved electrical conductivity and energy storage. For the cathode, they used a “zeolite imidazolate framework'' (ZIF), a type of organometallic framework that creates a porous crystal structure by combining metal ions and organic molecules. This increased the speed of battery charging and discharging.
Once assembled, the complete cell can achieve an energy storage capacity of 247 watt hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and deliver power at a rate of up to 34,748 watts per kilogram (W/kg), the researchers said. . This means they can hold more energy for their weight than existing hybrid sodium-ion batteries and can charge and discharge power more quickly, outperforming existing technologies by more than 100 times. .
Researchers say the battery maintained its efficiency and performance over 5,000 charge-discharge cycles in tests, suggesting it can be used repeatedly for long periods of time without wearing out. This is very important for applications such as grid energy storage systems and EVs where batteries need to last for long periods of time without degrading. By comparison, many lithium-ion batteries used in commercially available laptops, for example, can last up to 500 charge cycles before they start to degrade.
