Team-BHP - CATL unveils its first generation of Sodium-ion Batteries

On July 29. Dr. Robin Zeng, chairman of CATL, unveiled the company’s first-generation sodium-ion battery, together with its AB battery pack solution - which is able to integrate sodium-ion cells and lithium-ion cells into one pack - at the event. As another milestone of CATL in the exploration of basic science and technology, sodium-ion batteries will provide a new solution for the use of clean energy and transportation electrification, thus promoting the early realization of the goal of carbon neutrality.

CATL unveils its first generation of Sodium-ion Batteries-20210729173256_72wrrvhxcv.jpg

The sodium-ion battery has a similar working principle to the lithium-ion battery. Sodium ions also shuttle between the cathode and anode. However, compared with lithium ions, sodium ions have a larger volume and higher requirements regarding structural stability and the kinetic properties of materials. This has become a bottleneck for the industrialization of sodium-ion batteries.

CATL has been dedicated to the research and development of sodium-ion battery electrode materials for many years. In terms of cathode materials, CATL has applied Prussian white material with a higher specific capacity and redesigned the bulk structure of the material by rearranging the electrons, which solved the worldwide problem of rapid capacity fading upon material cycling. In terms of anode materials, CATL has developed a hard carbon material that features a unique porous structure, which enables the abundant storage and fast movement of sodium ions, and also an outstanding cycle performance.

Based on a series of innovations in the chemistry system, CATL’s first generation of sodium-ion batteries has the advantages of high-energy density, fast-charging capability, excellent thermal stability, great low-temperature performance and high-integration efficiency, among others. The energy density of CATL’s sodium-ion battery cell can achieve up to 160Wh/kg, and the battery can charge in 15 minutes to 80% SOC at room temperature. Moreover, in a low-temperature environment of -20°C, the sodium-ion battery has a capacity retention rate of more than 90%, and its system integration efficiency can reach more than 80%. The sodium-ion batteries’ thermal stability exceeds the national safety requirements for traction batteries. The first generation of sodium-ion batteries can be used in various transportation electrification scenarios, especially in regions with extremely low temperatures, where its outstanding advantages become obvious. Also, it can be flexibly adapted to the application needs of all scenarios in the energy storage field.

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EV skeptics will now be running out of things to complain about. There goes their argument crying about rare earth elements in EV batteries.

CATL new patent allows anode-free sodium-ion battery density to go above 200Wh/Kg

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In July 2021, CATL developed its first-gen sodium-ion battery. Its single-cell energy density can reach 160Wh/Kg. It has an impressive fast charging capability, allowing it to get 80% charge just after charging for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Today CATL applied for a patent for anode-free metal battery technology, which Tesla’s Chinese battery supplier would use in the next generation of sodium-ion batteries.

Why Sodium:
For a better understanding, let’s see why sodium ion is in the center of attention for CATL and competing with lithium-ion batteries.

The supply of sodium salt raw materials is plentiful, and the price is low. The iron-manganese-nickel-based cathode material is utilised instead of lithium-ion battery material, and the raw material cost is cut in half.
Because of the properties of sodium salt, it is possible to utilise a low-concentration electrolyte to save money.
Because sodium-ions don’t really form an alloy with aluminium, aluminium foil may be utilised as the negative electrode’s current collector, lowering the cost by around 8% and reducing the weight by about 10%.

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Reliance buys sodium-ion battery start-up Faradion

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The Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries has paid $135 million to purchase Faradion, a UK start-up developing sodium-ion batteries. Reliance will invest a further $35 million in Faradion to accelerate the commercialization of its products, including batteries for electric vehicles.

Sodium-ion batteries are an attractive alternative to lithium-ion batteries because they are safer and about 30% cheaper. Their major disadvantage is that their energy density of about 150 W⋅h/kg is substantially lower than that of the latest lithium-ion batteries. Nevertheless, Reliance sees potential in renewable power storage as well as vehicles.

Reliance aims to produce sodium-ion batteries in India based on Faradion’s technology. “We will work with Faradion management and accelerate its plans to commercialize the technology through building integrated and end-to-end giga scale manufacturing in India,” Mukesh Ambani, Reliance’s chairman, says in a press release.

The Faradion deal comes at a time when the price of lithium chemicals is surging as supply tightens. The cost of battery-grade lithium carbonate has more than tripled in the past 12 months, to above $30 per kg, according to the tracking firm S&P Global Platts. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency forecasts that demand for lithium will increase by a factor of 43 between 2020 and 2040.

Sodium’s abundance means its price is unlikely to rise dramatically in the foreseeable future. “Sodium-ion material costs are expected to remain stable over the next 10 years,” says a September 2021 report from the consulting firm Wood Mackenzie.

Faradion claims to have a wide-ranging patent position relating to sodium-ion batteries, including eight families of patents that cover cell materials, cell infrastructure, and safety and transportation.

Several other companies are also developing sodium-ion batteries, including the Chinese lithium-ion battery giant CATL, which unveiled its first sodium-ion battery in July 2021. CATL plans to begin commercial production in 2023.

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Low energy density and cheap prices are a killer deal for stabilising renewable energy farms (wind/solar/hydro)

We’re seeing reliance go into JV with BP for chargers, and now this, it’s not far away to see them offering a full stack solution for generation + storage + distribution. Exciting times ahead.

The thing is, the energy density is still lesser at worst and equal at best to LFP batteries, which also happen to be quite safe (BYD Blade battery is an LFP unit).

The catch here will obviously be, how fast can it be commercialised. Can the progress rate exceed that of lithium is the question, given R&D bucks flow more towards Li than Na.

https://youtu.be/TVrlbMrEcCY

Reminds me of an interesting video I saw recently on the topic.