Researchers at the Korean Institute of Advanced Scientific Research (Kaist) have successfully developed a high-power hybrid sodium-ion battery that can be charged in seconds. This breakthrough is significant as sodium is much more abundant than lithium, making sodium-ion devices for energy storage more appealing than traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Professor Zhong Kan, along with a team of researchers in the materials science branch, combined battery anode materials with cathodes suitable for supercapacitors to create a battery with high capacity and rapid charging capabilities. This innovative approach could potentially make the battery a promising alternative to the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.
The hybrid sodium-ion energy storage device, developed by Kaist, surpasses the energy density of commercial lithium-ion batteries. Researchers claim that the device exhibits the power density characteristics of supercapacitors.
According to a statement from the researchers, the development of high-energy hybrid batteries requires improvements in the energy storage capabilities of anode materials and the capacity of cathode materials. These advancements are crucial for enhancing energy storage systems.
Sodium batteries have the potential to meet the increasing demand for affordable electrochemical energy storage devices with high energy density for long-term use and rapid power delivery for a wide range of applications, from portable electronic devices to electric vehicles and large-scale power systems.
The hybrid sodium-ion system developed by Kaist has achieved an energy density of 247 W*h/kg and a power density of 34,748 W/kg. Professor Kang believes that this study represents a breakthrough in overcoming current limitations in energy storage systems and anticipates its widespread adoption in various electronic devices, including electric vehicles. The study, conducted in collaboration with Chon Hui Choi and Don Von Kim, has been published in the journal Energy Storage Materials.