Revolutionary sodium-sulphur battery

December 11, 2022

In a groundbreaking advancement for energy storage technology, a team of international researchers has developed an advanced sodium battery that boasts an energy capacity four times greater than its lithium-ion battery counterparts.

Spearheaded by experts at the University of Sydney, the project has designed a new sodium battery that not only has a significantly increased energy storage capacity compared to lithium batteries but also is much cheaper the produce. The battery innovation could play a pivotal role in transitioning to a decarbonised economy.

The study, ‘Atomically Dispersed Dual-Site Cathode with a Record High Sulphur Mass Loading for High-Performance Room-Temperature Sodium–Sulphur Batteries,’ is published in Advanced Materials.

Energy storage needs are increasing exponentially

As the planet strives toward employing more environmentally friendly sources of energy to achieve climate neutrality, developing advanced energy storage technologies will be critical. A recent report from the Clean Energy Council found that in Australia in 2021, 32.5% of the country’s electricity came from clean energy sources. A further report on the Australian battery market also suggested that household energy storage is increasing, with a record 33,000 batteries installed in 2021.

Developing the most powerful sodium battery to date

The novel battery was fabricated using sodium-sulphur – a molten salt that can be processed from seawater – meaning it costs much less than sourcing lithium. Although sodium-sulphur batteries have existed for more than 50 years, they have failed to become widely used due to their low energy capacity and short life cycles.

To overcome these limitations, the researchers employed a simple pyrolysis process and carbon-based electrodes to enhance the reactivity of sulphur and the reversibility of reactions between sulphur and sodium. This resulted in the sodium battery boasting a super-high capacity and ultra-long life at room temperature.

The sodium battery is a more energy-dense and less toxic alternative to lithium-ion batteries that are used in most electronic devices and are expensive to create and recycle. The battery is designed as a high-performing alternative for large renewable energy storage systems that reduces operational costs, including electricity grids.