Introduction:
Lithium batteries have always been seen as a way in which countries can power their energy sources to positively contribute to climate relief efforts, such as by developing better electric vehicle systems. However, lithium batteries have come with significant challenges that scientists must address and resolve. One of the biggest issues with lithium batteries are in relation to their cost to develop — in fact, lithium carbonate (the main component of lithium batteries) tripled in price between 2021 and 2022, and are just now starting to come down, though they are still extraordinarily high (1). Thus, scientists have been attempting to switch from lithium batteries to sodium-ion batteries. Since sodium is much more naturally abundant, it has the potential to be expanded throughout the globe much easier than batteries based with lithium. Scientists in China have explored this opportunity and have been developing incredible advances within this field.
Discussion:
In China’s Hubei province, massive projects have been erected to expand sodium-ion batteries. Currently, these 50MW/100MWh projects are in full use by China’s energy sector, who has also said that their energy would be doubled to 100MW/200MWh (2). This makes it the most extensive and largest sodium-ion battery project in human history. The main appeal for using sodium-powered batteries is that it can claim savings up to 40% (some estimates claim 15-30%) compared to the costs associated with lithium-ion batteries once projects are developed extensively across the world, which can be attributed to sodium’s abundance on Earth (2,3). Furthermore, a company called Acculon, which uses these Chinese cells in their designs, has stated that the chemistry of sodium-ion batteries can allow it to be recharged within 20-30 minutes without any dependency on thermal management (3). This will allow for vehicles or even machinery in the harshest of climates to operate and recharge with ease. This will therefore improve efficiency in public works and daily life — chemistry truly provides the building blocks for life and society.
Despite their differences, sodium- and lithium-ion batteries have the same basic electrochemical mechanism to function. Both of them store and release energy through disengaging and embedding cations between positive and negative electrodes (4). They also both are made of carbon-based anodes. Here is the clear difference: the cathodes for lithium-ion batteries are made with lithium and made with sodium for sodium-ion batteries. That difference with the cathodes changes the efficiency and applications of the batteries. In fact, the difference in the cathodes is a great one — it is the reason that sodium-ion batteries are more efficient for large-scale power grids.
Future Possibilities:
The development of sodium-ion batteries is a great feat and must be commended. However, for them to be embraced, scientists must be willing to make changes and collaborate not just with their colleagues close to them, but with researchers from all over the world — from the U.S. to Turkey to Australia. This review therefore suggests that the current state of sodium-ion projects must make its way out of China and must be established in the United States and any other country willing and ready for such a feat. This will ensure a global reduction in reliance on fossil fuels and the improved efficacy of how scientists can develop more of these plants.
Conclusion:
Although similar in many aspects, sodium- and lithium-ion batteries provide very different results and feedback in the chemistry and energy sectors of the world. By using basic chemical cells with sodium-based cathodes instead of lithium ones, energy plants can be developed rapidly at a lower cost and ensure a more efficient and reliable battery. These batteries can change the face of the world through reducing fossil fuels, increasing machine and technology use in harsh conditions, and by providing new chemical technology for faster-charging batteries. All in all, this achievement made by Chinese scientists is not only incredible, but revolutionary — it can answer concerns on our environment to those on battery life for everyday products!
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