We are in the process of doing some R&D work on the new(ish), Sodium ion type batteries. I like doing these sorts of experimenting, as I can 'play' with new stuff.
These new batteries are gradually becoming onto the market, because they are safer, lighter, have a longer life and are more affordable.
https://solartechadvisor.com/lithium-ion-sodium-ion/
What are Sodium ion Batteries?
Sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries use Sodium ions instead of Lithium ions to store and deliver power. Sodium is much more abundant and environmentally friendly than Lithium, but there are still several challenges left to make Sodium-ion batteries a Lithium battery replacement.
Sodium-ion batteries charge faster than Lithium-ion variants and have a
three times higher lifecycle. Sodium is more common and 500 times more
abundant than Lithium, where Lithium is available in very few countries. Child labor is used a lot in the mining operations in overseas countries as well.
Lithium ion vs Sodium ion Batteries: Which is the Better one?
If you are looking for a battery to power your application, there are many options available. In this post, we will discuss the differences between Lithium-ion and Sodium-ion batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in electronics, because of their lightweight, compact size, and high energy density.
They are the popular choice for powering electronic devices such as laptops, cellphones, tablets, and power tools.
Although they are great for so many applications, they have important shortcomings.
The main problem with lithium-ion batteries is the high cost of Lithium which makes them expensive to manufacture.
Also, Lithium is spread out across the world in very small quantities. This makes it expensive to transport from location to location when manufacturing batteries, which is problematic for companies and for the environment as well.
Sodium-ion batteries are one of the newest types of rechargeable batteries on the market today.
However, they have been researched already for decades, before finally being commercialized, only recently. They are a great alternative to Lithium-ion batteries because Sodium is much more affordable and widely available.
Lithium is not only more scarce, but is also more expensive to produce. A ton of Sodium costs only $150, while a ton of Lithium costs over $20,000. The fundamental difficulty of Lithium production is that it's not found in its pure elemental form.
It needs to be separated from other elements before it can be used, and this separation process has a high environmental impact due to the use of very toxic chemicals such as Sulfuric Acid and Hydrochloric Acid. Therefore, the industry looks for ways to reduce the envromental impact.
Although Sodium-ion batteries seem to be a good alternative, the technology is still in its infancy.
Sodium-ion batteries don't have the same high energy density as Lithium-ion and they won't last for quite as long, between each charge.
One big advantage of Sodium ion over Lithium ion is that the lower price of Sodium and the reduced environmental impact.
Sodium-ion batteries could be a viable alternative to Lithium-ion. However, they are not without problems of their own and it's possible that they won't ever replace Lithium-ion immediately, or completely.
How Sodium ion Batteries Work?
Sodium-ion batteries, also called Na-ion batteries, use a chemical reaction to store and release electrical energy. Like all batteries, they have two electrodes (a positive electrode and a negative electrode) separated by an electrolyte, which is a special substance that allows ions (tiny particles with a positive or negative charge) to move between the electrodes.