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Alternative lithium battery? Sodium battery needs to "pass through" a long tunnel
Lithium has long been a key component in modern technology, powering everything from smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles. However, its high cost and limited availability have prompted scientists and engineers to explore alternatives. One promising candidate is sodium—a more abundant and cheaper element that shares chemical similarities with lithium.
Sodium, located just below lithium on the periodic table, offers several advantages. It's not only more readily available but also less flammable than lithium, making it a safer option for batteries. Researchers like Minah Lee from Stanford University believe sodium can store energy comparable to lithium batteries, making it a viable alternative.
Several companies are now investing in sodium-based battery technology. For example, CNRS recently launched Tiamat, a startup aiming to commercialize sodium batteries by 2020. The company plans to design batteries similar to the widely used 18650 format, which could help ease adoption in existing markets.
Meanwhile, American startup Aquion focused on seawater-based batteries and attracted significant investment from Bill Gates and Kleiner Perkins. Despite initial success, the company eventually faced financial difficulties and was acquired for $9.16 million in 2019. This highlights the challenges of bringing new battery technologies to market.
Academic researchers are also exploring sodium as a replacement for lithium. Institutions like Stanford and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory are using advanced tools such as particle accelerators to study how sodium interacts with electrode materials at both atomic and macroscopic levels. This research helps uncover the behavior of sodium ions within battery structures.
Despite these efforts, there are still hurdles to overcome. One major challenge is developing an efficient anode material. Hard carbon is currently seen as a strong candidate because it can hold sodium ions between its layers. While this material is scalable and sustainable—often derived from biomass—it still requires further optimization.
Another important factor is the ability to produce sodium batteries using existing manufacturing lines. If the production process is similar to that of lithium-ion batteries, it could significantly reduce development time and costs.
However, the transition to sodium batteries is not without its uncertainties. While sodium itself is cheaper than lithium, the overall cost savings may be limited. According to David Snydacker from Dosima Research, reducing lithium use could lower costs by 5% to 10%, but other factors remain expensive.
Despite the challenges, many experts remain optimistic. They believe that once the technology matures and investments are in place, sodium batteries could offer a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to lithium batteries. As Snydacker puts it, “There will be a bright light at the end of the tunnel.†The road ahead may be long, but the potential rewards are worth the effort.