Researchers at the United States Department of Energy have modified the electrolyte recipe for sodium-ion batteries to extend their life. Promising, this inexpensive technology with many advantages could be used in small electric vehicles.
You will also be interested
[EN VIDÉO] Batteries that recycle nuclear waste Researchers at the University of Bristol have developed a new technology that uses nuclear waste to generate electricity in an artificial diamond battery. When it is bombarded with beta particles resulting from the disintegration of the carbon 14 which constitutes it, it generates an electric current for several thousand years. A low current, but which could be very useful for certain applications. (in English) © University of Bristol
Non-flammable, inexpensive and equipped with materials available in abundance, the batteries at the sodium ion would have the perfect profile to supply energy electric vehicles, if they did not suffer from a major defect: a limited longevity. That may well change, as a research team from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) of the United States Department of Energy has developed a sodium ion battery whose longevity has been extended.
To achieve this, the researchers worked on the electrolyte of these batteries. It is this component that causes sodium-ion batteries to quickly fail. Concretely, the current electrolyte causes the dissolution of the protective film of theanode over refills. This is what causes the loss of capacity.
As a battery goes through repeated charging and discharging cycles, it loses its ability to hold a charge. A new sodium-ion battery technology developed in Pacific Northwest National Laboratory could change that. © Animation by Sara Levine, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Protect the anode to increase the service life
The research team has developed a new electrolyte capable of generating a protective layer on the cathode and on the anode. The presence of this ultra-thin layer made it possible to increase the number of charge cycles beyond 300. The loss of ability remained below 10% on the coin-sized lab model. With this faculty, this technology could in the future come and rub shoulders with lithium ion batteries to equip electric vehicles or store energy.
Among other advantages, in addition to being non-flammable, sodium-ion batteries are able to withstand extreme temperatures. Their density remains lower than that of Lithium-ion batteries and it is for this reason that this technology should be reserved for electric vehicles energy efficient.
Interested in what you just read?