Sodium-ion batteries hold the promise of cost-effective and sustainable energy storage solutions. Argonne National Laboratory has achieved a significant breakthrough by tackling one common issue: the structural damage caused by sodium ions moving within the battery.
Argonne’s Innovative Approach
Argonne‘s team studied sodium-ion oxide cathodes made from transition-metal core-shell particles. These featured a nickel-rich core surrounded by a manganese and cobalt-rich shell. The manganese-rich shell lends structural stability during charge-discharge cycles. Meanwhile, the nickel-rich core provides high energy storage capacity. Despite this design, the battery’s energy capacity declined over time.
Researchers pinpointed the cause of failure to internal cracks. These cracks develop due to strain between the shell and core. Surprisingly, they originate deep within the cathode particles and not at the surface, as previously assumed.
Efforts Towards Crack Prevention
The discovery required advanced technology, including two of the world’s most powerful synchrotrons and a top-tier supercomputer. With this data, Argonne introduced a method to prevent these cracks.
By altering the heat treatment process, crack-proof particles were developed. Traditional methods heated the particles at 5°C/min, causing cracks at temperatures as low as 250°C. However, a slower heating rate of 1°C/min led to robust cathode particles with no loss of storage capacity over 400 cycles.
The Future of Sodium-Ion Batteries
These innovative advancements show great potential for future sodium-ion batteries. They promise low costs, long lifespans, and energy densities comparable to lithium iron phosphate cathodes. This could enhance Electric Vehicles‘ driving range.
Furthermore, Argonne aims to eliminate nickel from the cathodes, reducing costs and boosting sustainability. Future work will focus on improving sodium-ion energy density to rival and exceed that of Lithium-ion batteries while maintaining other performance metrics like cycle life and safety.
Collaborative Efforts for Progress
The US Department of Energy has committed $50 million over five years to establish the ‘LENS’ consortium, led by Argonne. This consortium includes eight universities and five national laboratories. It emphasizes removing critical elements from the cathode formulations without compromising performance.
These collaborative efforts are poised to redefine the landscape of energy storage technologies, potentially leading to cost-effective and sustainable solutions for a range of applications.
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