Progress to making Sodium seawater batteries

 

Lithium ion batteries are great but the scarcity and high cost of lithium means that new and better systems need to be used and one of these is a sodium based seawater battery. These seawater batteries are environmentally benign and naturally fire safe but they cost a lot to make because the electrode needs to be co-doped with multiple elements such as nitrogen and sulphur to boost their performance and systems to do this are very expensive potentially dangerous and don’t yield acceptable levels. A recent study by a team of scientists from the Korea Maritime and Ocean University have found a way to dope the electrodes at a higher level and in a much safer way. Although this is early research the potential maritime applications of this type of battery which can operate submerged in seawater is substantial. We watch this progress with interest.

​Hyeon-SuYang et al.; "Facile in situ synthesis of dual-heteroatom-doped high-rate capability carbon anode for rechargeable seawater-batteries"; Carbon; Volume 189, 15 April 2022, Pages 251-264
Photo ​National Korea Maritime & Ocean University



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