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sodium ion-based batteries

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS | SODIUM-ION (NA-ION) BASED BATTERY TECHNOLOGY MIGHT SOON BE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO LITHIUM-BASED ONES: UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON | 15TH JULY | DTE

/ July, 2022, UPSC Daily Current Affairs

SYLLABUS SECTION: GS III (SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)

WHY IN THE NEWS?

The University of Houston developed an electrolyte which makes it significantly more viable to produce sodium ion-based batteries commercially and on a larger scale.

SODIUM ION Batteries:

  • Sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries are solid-state batteries, and use solids instead of liquids to ferry ions through their core. It has three components:
  • A negatively charged anode made up of hard carbons;
  • A positively charged cathode constituting sodium-containing layered materials;
  • Electrolyte that allows electrons to move.
  • As compared to Lithium-ion battery, Sodium-ion battery
  • Replaces the polymer separator used in lithium-ion batteries with a solid-state separator, which is more energy dense.
  • Lowers charging time and improve life by eliminating the need to have lithium diffuse into the carbon particles as in conventional lithium-ion cells.
  • Significance of Sodium ion-based batteries
  • Natural abundance of sodium resources
  • Greener and sustainable battery system
  • Lesser cost of extracting than lower than lithium (least 20 percent)
  • Contain non-flammable solid electrolytes that exhibit high safety.
  • Issue with Li-ion battery
  • High Environmental cost by way of mining,
  • Needs a protective circuit to keep it running safely.
  • Expensive with reserves localized only in certain parts of Chile, Australia, Argentina, and China.
  • Extremely reactive

Source: DTE