Sodium-Ion Battery Breakthrough Could Power Greener Energy and Make Seawater Drinkable
Retaining the natural water content of a key cathode material could lead to better performance, plus a potential role in water treatment.
A research team at the University of Surrey has demonstrated a significant improvement in sodium-ion battery performance by preserving water content in a key electrode material, challenging long-standing assumptions in the field.
The team investigated nanostructured sodium vanadate hydrate (NVOH), a material studied for use in sodium-ion batteries. In typical approaches, the water content in such materials is removed through heat treatment to avoid presumed instability. However, the researchers found that retaining the water enhanced performance, enabling the material to store more charge, recharge faster and maintain stability across hundreds of cycles.
The study, published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, describes how the "wet" form of NVOH achieved nearly twice the charge capacity of more conventional sodium-ion cathodes, placing it among the best-performing cathodes reported to date. It remained stable over more than 400 charge–discharge cycles, marking a notable improvement in longevity.
Battery tested in salt water environment
The research also explored the cathode’s function in a saline environment. NVOH demonstrated electrochemical activity in salt water, with the capacity to extract sodium ions from solution. When paired with a graphite electrode that removed chloride ions, the setup enabled a form of electrochemical desalination.
This finding expands potential use cases for sodium-ion batteries, suggesting they could play a dual role in energy storage and water treatment.
A step toward more sustainable energy storage
Sodium-ion batteries have attracted interest as a lower-cost and more sustainable alternative to lithium-ion technology, which relies on rarer and more environmentally burdensome materials. Sodium is more widely available and can be sourced from abundant deposits of soda ash.
The ability to enhance performance through relatively simple adjustments to material treatment processes could accelerate the development of sodium-ion systems for commercial use. Applications may include grid-scale energy storage and other sectors requiring safe, cost-effective batteries.
The research contributes to efforts to improve energy technologies through the use of readily available materials and simplified production methods, while also opening up future avenues for water purification through integrated battery systems.
Reference: Commandeur D, Stolojan V, Felipe-Sotelo M, Wright J, Watson D, Slade RCT. Nanostructured sodium vanadate hydrate as a versatile sodium ion cathode material for use in organic media and for aqueous desalination. J Mater Chem A. 2025;13(40):34493-34506. doi: 10.1039/D5TA05128B
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