Sodium batteries are about to replace lithium ion batteries -Lithium - Ion Battery Equipment
Subsequently, some startups and old -fashioned companies regarded sodium ions as active ingredients to develop charging batteries. Sodium was the "neighbor" of lithium on the element cycle table.
In addition to the ease of sodium, it has several other important features-the most important of which is its fire resistance. "Of course, it can also store equivalent energy as lithium batteries, which is a good choice," said Minahlee, a sodium battery from Stanford University to study sodium batteries.
Today, many companies are developing sodium batteries, and their ultimate goal is to replace lithium batteries. The French National Science Research Center (CNRS) has recently announced the establishment of a startup Tiamat, which is located in Ayan, which will develop sodium batteries in 2020 and launch to the market. CNRS said it would be designed as a size model like 18650.
There is also an American startup named Aquion, which is the core of high -capacity seawater battery storage energy. Billgates and KleinerKins initially invested $ 190 million for it. However, the company's subsequent development even went to the dilemma of bankruptcy. In July, JulinetitansLCC acquired it for $ 9.16 million.
At the same time, researchers from some universities are now focusing on replacing the lithium in the battery with sodium. The advantage of scientific workers is that they can use large instruments (such as accelerators) to study anode materials and their functions.(Lithium - Ion Battery Equipment)
"We can clearly understand the actual whereabouts of sodium -whether it is at the fine atomic level (how to combine with other atoms) or a more macro level -and the changes produced when the electrode particles absorb sodium ions." Stanford University is responsible for SLAC Michaltoney, a researcher at the National Accelerator Laboratory, is one of them.
However, while the academic and enterprises have made research and attempts, power companies and automotive power system manufacturers have not recognized sodium batteries. They are more willing to insist on using lithium batteries. "The current cost of lithium -ion battery technology is very competitive in various markets," explained DOSIMARESEARCH's battery expert DavidsNydacker, "Therefore, if new sodium batteries want to succeed, it must not only compete with traditional technology, but also must also be competitive, but also must also be competitive. Competition with lithium batteries is a very high requirement. "
A problem that has not been solved by sodium batteries is to find or create a high -capacity anode, that is, the negative electrode of the battery. A material that meets the requirements is hard carbon, which allows sodium ions to store sodium ions in the space between atoms. "Lithium -ion battery uses graphite, but this is not suitable for sodium ions," Tone said. "But we used hard carbon. Although this is not the most ideal, no one really understands this material."
Scalability is an important feature of hard carbon. "We can re -adjust the battery of different sizes. The focus of this electrode material is its sustainability. It is based on biomass, so if the amount is greater, you can use it." Lee said.
In order to seek market recognition, another decisive factor is to use existing industrial production lines to produce sodium batteries. "The treatment of sodium batteries should be very similar to lithium ion batteries."
Therefore, sodium batteries may be born from the existing production line, but when will the question wait? An idea is that sodium batteries are actually very economical, but this view is still no conclusion.
Although TIAMAT -related researchers have used 2020 as the last period of investment in production, it remains to be observed whether they will achieve this goal. Mathieumorcrette of the University of Asian, France admits, "There are still many jobs to do, we have not achieved the goal yet."
In addition, the saying that sodium is cheaper than lithium is at least at the beginning. SNYDACKER said: "The price of sodium is indeed cheaper than lithium. Without use lithium, the cost can be reduced by 5%to 10%, but the remaining costs will be quite expensive. But he is optimistic about the future.