Spanish research center makes sodium-ion battery advances

Spanish nonprofit research body the Energy Technology Center (ITE) says it has made a prototype sodium ion battery cell using materials “selected for their high potential, and has developed a separator based on sustainable polymers.”

The cell was developed as part of the SOSBAT project – funded by the Valencian Institute of Competitiveness and Innovation via an agreement with the government of Valencia – which researches sodium-ion technology as an alternative to lithium-ion energy storage and also considers the reuse of end-of-life batteries.

In developing the new cell, the ITE team evaluated various combinations of cathode and anode materials and selected those that guaranteed the best performance and sustainability. The center stated, “This technological approach facilitates the reduction of dependence on lithium and promotes more accessible supply chains, an increasingly important factor in the current energy context.”

On the sustainable-polymer battery separator, which was integrated into the prototype device, ITE wrote, “This advance contributes significantly to reducing the environmental impact associated with the battery life cycle.”

ITE researchers have also developed an innovative approach which uses battery cell diagnostic techniques to determine the condition and performance of used batteries.

“The possibility of offering new uses to batteries that would otherwise be discarded significantly reduces waste generation and optimizes the use of raw materials,” said the research center.

From pv magazine España.