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Researcher Jialiang Tang is trying to solve the problems of charging ion-sodium batteries in a laboratory. Researchers at Purdue University said that sodium powder, when used in batteries, could be a cheaper but equally effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries. Sodium is not as rare as lithium that is mined only in South America. ( Purdue University )
Researchers at Purdue University have found a way to produce efficient sodium ion batteries that are as functional and inexpensive as their lithium counterparts.
The problem of sodium
The batteries currently on the market are all made of extremely rare lithium and can only be extracted in the mountains of South America. However, as demand increases, the lithium source can become depleted, resulting in stagnant battery production around the world.
For years, scientists have made efforts to transform sodium ion batteries, using not only cheap but also abundant sodium salts, to be as effective as lithium batteries. However, sodium is extremely delicate. it burns immediately when it is exposed to water.
Recent studies have found a way to prevent ion-sodium batteries from not exploding. Scientists, however, have not yet found a way to control the sodium loss of ions after first refilling them. Until now.
The Purdue University has announced a breakthrough discovery that could change the future of batteries. In a study published in the Journal of Energy Sources, they revealed a version of sodium powder that does not burn and effectively retains a charge.
"The addition of sodium powder manufactured during electrode processing only requires slight modifications of the battery production process," said Vilas Pol, associate professor of chemical engineering at Purdue University. "This is a potential way to advance sodium ion battery technology in the industry."
The future of batteries
The study explained that the initial problem with sodium ions was that they stick to the hard carbon end of the battery called anode during the initial charge. They must go to the end of the cathode to be effective. When ions accumulate in a structure called a solid electrolyte interface, the battery may lose sodium ions.
"Normally, the solid electrolyte interface is good because it protects the carbon particles from the battery's acidic electrolyte, where electricity is conducted," explained Pol. "But too much interface consumes the sodium ions we need to charge the battery."
Researchers at Purdue University have stated that sodium as a powder does not accumulate so as to lose sodium ions.
To create sodium powder, the team used ultrasound to melt pieces into a purple liquid that is then cooled and turned into powder. Drop the sodium suspension in the anode or cathode of a sodium-ion battery during manufacturing allowed it to charge and discharge efficiently and at a higher capacity.
Ion-sodium batteries should be slightly heavier than lithium-ion batteries. The researchers hope that their creation would be used to store large amounts of energy for solar and wind farms.
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