Rechargeable batteries of the future
Sodium batteries may replace more expensive lithium batteries, and on top of that they will be safer and less toxic. They will store renewable energy in homes or in distributed energy, they may also find applications in electric cars. But for now, these cells require a lot of basic research.
Anode materials for the new sodium battery technology are investigated by Dr. Andrzej Kulka from AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków.
"We study the structural, transport and electrochemical properties of anode materials in order to obtain properly functioning, modern sodium batteries. They are a development of currently used lithium batteries, which are expensive and sometimes explode when the electrolyte and the electrode react in dangerous conditions. We will replace the chemistry of lithium compounds with sodium compounds. This way we will overcome economic barriers" - Dr. Kulka explained in an interview with PAP.
The researcher explained that sodium batteries would be used primarily for energy storage in stationary applications. But before large units with kilowatt capacities can appear in homes or renewable power plants, research laboratories must first create prototypes in the form of battery cells. The small size allows to optimise time and costs.
"Anode materials that we will use to make batteries are created from scratch. Then we study their basic properties, and we build functioning cells in a laboratory. We test their behaviour under operating conditions. This way, our laboratory combines basic and applied research" - explained the researcher from the Department of Hydrogen Energy at the Faculty of Energy and Fuels AGH.
For his research, Dr. Kulka received a grant in the amount of over 570 thousand zlotys from the National Centre for Research and Development. Two PhD students work in his team, 4th-5th year students are also involved.
"Many of the anode materials, on which we are working, are compounds which have non been obtained before anywhere in the world. We do not know what to expect, we do not know whether we will succeed. Sometimes the job requires an unconventional approach. However, the first attempts show that we are on the right track to creating efficient, safe and cheap devices" - the researcher told PAP.
Energy storage devices based on lithium batteries are already operating. According to Dr. Kulka, the introduction sodium battery technology will take approx. 10 years. Prototypes of sodium batteries are already being built, and in approx. 3 years the first prototype devices powered by this technology will appear.
PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland, Karolina Duszczyk
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