Researchers at Stanford have designed a sodium-based battery that is capable of storing the same amount of energy as present lithium-ion batteries but costing less than 80% of a lithium-ion battery. Due to a lack of material abundance, lithium-ion batteries cost a significant amount of money to produce, with lithium costing roughly $15,000 a tonne to mine and refine. Stanford researchers are basing their battery on a sodium-based electrode, which is $150 a tonne. With a sodium cathode, and phosphorous anode, the Stanford team improved how sodium and myo-inositol enable that electron flow between the about one-quarter electrodes, significantly improving the efficiency of the battery.
Researchers at Stanford have designed a sodium-based battery that is capable of storing the same amount of energy as present lithium-ion batteries but costing less than 80% of a lithium-ion battery. Due to a lack of material abundance, lithium-ion batteries cost a significant amount of money to produce, with lithium costing roughly $15,000 a tonne to mine and refine. Stanford researchers are basing their battery on a sodium-based electrode, which is $150 a tonne. With a sodium cathode, and phosphorous anode, the Stanford team improved how sodium and myo-inositol enable that electron flow between the two electrodes, significantly improving the efficiency of the battery.