Scientists have developed a battery replacement that is less dangerous and more durable than lithium-ion batteries, according to a report on the website of the Spanish monthly interest on February 27.
It is reported that sodium is a very rich element in all the land and oceans of the earth. It is cheaper than lithium and is a chemical element that is easier to recover than lithium. One point against it is that its use is still rarely developed. Because sodium is heavier than lithium, its ions are not easy to move in liquid electrolyte, resulting in lower efficiency than lithium. The solution is to design a non flammable solid electrolyte. Two recent studies at the University of Geneva have managed to solve this problem.
In the first study, researchers developed an efficient material, sodium carbohydroborate. Professor Radovan Cherney, who led the research, pointed out that the material used in nuclear medicine was initially non-conductive. By changing its crystal structure and more accurately changing the spatial arrangement of atoms, it can successfully conduct electricity. This makes it the most effective sodium ion transmission mode at present. In order to achieve this result, the research team conducted a strong impact on the compound in the ball mill, resulting in high temperature and applied an ideal "force" to the solid electrolyte. This is an energy-saving method widely used in the cement industry.
The second study involved placing the material in a real environment. In order to make the battery work, the electrolyte (whether liquid or solid) must be firmly installed in the battery and in close contact with the positive and negative poles of the battery. "In order to achieve this, pressure must be applied through screws or springs. We are looking for an ideal 'force' that can be applied to solid electrolytes," explained Mateo bridge, a researcher at the laboratory The results show that this is about 400 atmospheres (equivalent to the underwater pressure at a depth of 4000 meters), which can be easily realized with a few screws.
These findings pave the way for the easy production of sodium batteries, especially in the automotive industry.
