Enabling the Use of Hard Carbon and Ionic Liquids in Na-ion Batteries

• Grant number: 23/07148-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: February 29, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Vitor Leite Martins
• Grantee: João Gabriel Cellamare
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/26309-4 - Beyond Li-ion: development of reversible non-aqueous metal-air batteries, AP.JP

Abstract

Currently, the rechargeable battery market is dominated by lead-acid batteries and high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. However, the scarcity of lithium and nickel, for example, and difficulties in the supply due to geopolitical issues, such as the case of cobalt which is associated with child labor in Congo, raise concerns about the future supply of these elements, even considering battery recycling. Furthermore, the Covid-19 pandemic emphasized the dependence the globe has on China to supply, manufacture and refine these key materials. As a result, there is a need to develop high density batteries with more abundant key materials and geographically dispersed. There are a few batteries which use abundant elements and have good energy density. Although, some of these technologies may be disruptive in terms of manufacturing, requiring intense capital investment to establish manufacturing capacity and equipment. The only way to speed up the development of the new technology would be to demonstrate significant higher energy density in comparison to commercially established lithium-ion batteries used today. Considering this, sodium-ion batteries would be a good attempt at replacement, as these are fundamentally unique since they operate on the same principle as lithium-ion batteries and use identical manufacturing protocols and equipment as required by lithium-ion batteries. In conclusion, if the energy density and other metrics could compare as the usual lithium-ion batteries, the only requirement left to substitute the current technology would be dropping the price per kWh.