Korean researchers have announced the development of a sodium-ion battery that can be charged in seconds.
The breakthrough is attracting global attention because sodium is 1000 times more abundant than lithium.
The results could have significant implications for the cost of Electric Vehicles and the speed of recharging.
In a statement, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said existing sodium-ion batteries had fundamental limitations.
These included lower power output, constrained storage properties, and longer charging times.
To address this, a research team led by Professor Jeung Ku Kang from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering had developed a “high-energy, high-power hybrid sodium-ion battery capable of rapid charging”.
“The innovative hybrid energy storage system integrates anode materials typically used in batteries with cathodes suitable for supercapacitors,” KAIST said.
“This combination allows the device to achieve both high storage capacities and rapid charge-discharge rates, positioning it as a viable next-generation alternative to lithium-ion batteries.”
The researchers said the device created through the work “surpasses the energy density of commercial lithium-ion batteries and exhibits the characteristics of supercapacitors’ power density”.
“It is expected to be suitable for rapid charging applications ranging from electric vehicles to smart electronic devices and aerospace technologies,” they said.
This research, co-authored by KAIST doctoral candidates Jong Hui Choi and Dong Won Kim, was published in the Iiternational journal Energy Storage Materials.
More information is available on the KAIST website.
