Stanford University successfully built super cheap batteries, without lithium

A research team from Stanford University has developed into a battery park that uses sodium at a much cheaper cost than lithium-ion batteries. The new battery could open up a new era of energy, thanks to cheaper manufacturing costs, available resources and performance that is no different than lithium-ion batteries.

Abundant resources

Stanford University has successfully developed batteries made from sodium.

According to Futurism, the Stanford University team has successfully developed batteries made of sodium , with energy storage capabilities similar to lithium batteries, but costs up to 80% lower. Although this is not the first time the battery made of sodium has been developed, this new approach promises to be more efficient.

Zhenan Bao, a member of the research team, said : "At present nothing can surpass lithium in terms of performance. But since lithium is rare and expensive, we need to find ways to develop other effective batteries. high productivity but low cost based on abundant resources like sodium ".

Sodium in Stanford's battery is linked to a compound called myo-inositol , an organic compound commonly found in household products such as baby formula. Like sodium is much more abundant than lithium, myo-inositol can be obtained from rice bran or from by-products obtained during corn milling. This will greatly reduce the cost of developing the batteries.

Battery is the key

Low-cost, high-performance batteries have a very important role in the future of renewable energy.(photo: Tesla).

Access to battery power is a key element in the clean energy revolution. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, often depend on unpredictable environmental conditions. Batteries allow us to store large amounts of energy and can save them for use when conditions are not favorable.

Cheaper sodium batteries can make renewable energy more accessible to areas where the expensive cost of lithium-ion batteries is a huge financial barrier.

Stanford University still has a lot of work to do if it wants its products to become mass consumer goods. The team's analysis only focuses on comparing performance and cost, not considering energy / volume density, or how much sodium batteries need to be able to store. Store similar energy sources as lithium-ion batteries.

Although the journey is still long and difficult, the research team is still very optimistic and believes that their design can still be improved.