Research Topics

Sodium Ion Batteries

A Ragone plot comparing specific energy versus specific power of various energy storage technologies, including battery systems and supercapacitors, with annotations and legends indicating technology types and performance metrics.

Sodium-Ion Batteries (NaIB) are among today’s most promising systems to enhance sustainability via replacing critical and expensive resources (Li, Co, Cu, etc.) by abundant and environmentally benign elements (Na, bio-sourced hard carbons, etc.). While Lithium-Ion Batteries still dominate the market, NaIB are becoming more competitive thanks to, e.g., the better understanding of the (de-)sodiation mechanism leading to faster battery cycling or the development of advanced materials resulting in higher cell capacities. Combining the complementary skillsets of all partners within the European Battery HUB with the unique capabilities offered at the ESRF allows to further accelerate this. Using our standardized multi-technique workflows such as operando scanning Small- and Wide-angle X-ray scattering workflows, we probe and compare new materials from the different labs, e.g., different hard carbon based negative electrodes. This allows us to get a holistic understanding of the different battery components and further advance NaIBs.

J. Phys. Energy 3 (2021) 031503

Lithium All-Solid-State Batteries

Diagram of a lithium-ion battery showing the structure of the anode, separator, and cathode. The anode contains lithium metal, silicon thin film, composites, and other materials. The separator divides the anode and cathode. The cathode consists of lithium cobalt oxide and lithium iron phosphate. The diagram illustrates energy density, power density, and electrochemical processes involved.

Nat Energy 2023, 8, 230–24

Lithium-Ion Batteries are one of the most wide-spread battery technologies used in consumer electronics and electric vehicles. However, their design limits the used materials and with it their energy density. Furthermore, they are inherently hazardous due to flammable electrolytes.
Lithium All-Solid-State Batteries (Li-ASSB) are the next step towards increasing energy density and safety. Non-flammable solid electrolytes (SEs) are thought to reduce hazards of thermal runaway and Li dendrite formation. This would allow for the use of Li metal as negative electrode material featuring the largest specific capacity and the lowest redox potential. However, the commercialization of Li-ASSB has been slowed down by challenges such as understanding the reactivity of buried interfaces between electroactive and electrolyte materials. Studying this during cell operation is challenging and requires advanced methodologies and approaches going beyond standard- techniques. Within the HUB, we develop cells and workflows to “open the black box” and get a deeper understanding of the working mechanism of Li-ASSB.

Sodium All-Solid-State Batteries

Diagram showing advances in solid-state electrolytes for sodium-metal batteries, with categories: cathode/SE interface engineering, Na metal/SE interface engineering, and material types like oxides, sulfides, SBEs, and boron hydrides.

Adv. Energy Sustainability Res. 2021, 2, 2000057

Similarly to their Lithium homologues, Sodium All-Solid-State Batteries (Na-ASSB) have inherent advantages regarding energy density and safety over their liquid electrolyte counterpart. Again, similar to Li-ASSB, the challenge in Na-ASSB lies in the understanding of the reactivity of different cell components at buried interfaces and their morphological changes during cell operation. However, while there are already some promising candidates for the commercialization of Li-ASSB, Na-ASSB are still very much in their infancy. The cells developed within the HUB for the study of Li-ASSB can be also directly used for Na-ASSB. This allows to significantly advance and accelerate the research and development of Na-ASSB leapfrogging the Na-ASSB technology and enabling high-energy-density and low-environmental-impact battery systems.