Scientists have discovered a new process that could supercharge the transition to next-generation rechargeable batteries capable of more than doubling the range of current electric vehicles.
The research could help facilitate a switch from conventional lithium-ion batteries – which are found in everything from smartphones to electric cars – to solid-state sodium batteries, which are both cheaper and safer.
Solid-state sodium batteries are also made of materials that are far more abundant than their lithium-ion counterparts, however until now mass production has proved difficult.
A team from Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan claim the newly discovered process could overcome this obstacle through the mass synthesis of a highly conductive electrolyte.
“This newly developed process is useful for the production of almost all sodium-containing sulfide materials, including solid electrolytes and electrode active materials,” said Professor Atsushi Sakuda from Osaka Metropolitan University.
“Also, compared to conventional methods, this process makes it easier to obtain materials that display higher performance, so we believe it will become a mainstream process for the future development of materials for all-solid-state sodium batteries.”
The solid sulfide electrolyte has the world’s highest reported sodium ion conductivity – roughly 10 times higher than is required for commercial use.
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