20 patents in this list
Updated: April 25, 2024
As the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow, the quest for more sustainable and efficient battery technologies intensifies. Sodium-ion batteries represent a promising alternative to traditional lithium-ion systems due to their cost-effectiveness and abundance of sodium.
This article explores the latest research and advancements in sodium-ion battery technology, focusing on its application in EV batteries. It discusses breakthroughs in energy density, cycle life, and safety features that could potentially make sodium-ion batteries a viable option for future electric vehicles.
Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 2023
A nickel cobalt molybdenum oxide anode material for sodium-ion batteries that provides improved cycling and rate performance compared to existing materials. The material is synthesized via a one-pot hydrothermal process using nickel, cobalt, and molybdenum precursors. The resulting nickel cobalt molybdenum oxide forms a single phase and nanorod shape. This unique structure enables better electrochemical behavior in sodium batteries. The anode material can be used in sodium-ion batteries along with a slurry preparation and coating method for the electrode.
NIPPON ELECTRIC GLASS CO., LTD., 2022
Positive electrode active material for sodium ion batteries with high discharge capacity, particularly for all-solid-state batteries. The active material contains crystals with a specific composition of Na, Ni, M, P, and O elements. The crystals are NaNix(Ni1-xMya)yPz (x=0.6-4, y=0.3-2.7, a=0-0.9, z=6-7.5) where M is a transition metal like Fe, Cr, Mn, or Co. This composition prevents oxygen loss during charging and allows full Ni reduction during discharging. The crystals also form Na ion pathways when used in all-solid-state batteries.
FARADION LIMITED, 2022
Sodium-ion secondary batteries with improved capacity and cycling stability. The batteries have anode active material layers with mass per square meter of 30 g or less. This low anode mass compared to the cathode mass prevents Na plating issues during charging. The anode active material is disordered carbon. The low anode mass allows deeper sodiation, higher first discharge capacity, and better cycling compared to higher mass anodes. The batteries also have optimized electrolyte formulations and voltage ratings during formation to further enhance performance.
LG Energy Solution, Ltd., Seoul National University R&DB Foundation, 2022
Sodium composite transition metal oxide with a unique crystal structure for high rate sodium-ion batteries. The material has a P3 structure with sodium ions located at specific prismatic sites. This allows the sodium ions to move more easily during charge/discharge compared to conventional materials. The P3 structure reduces repulsive forces between sodium and transition metal layers compared to other structures like P2. This improves rate capability for sodium-ion batteries. The P3 material is prepared by mixing sodium, lithium, and transition metal precursors in specific ratios, then heat treating.
UT Battelle, LLC, 2021
Positive electrode material for sodium-ion batteries with improved performance. The electrode contains a sodium metal vanadium fluorophosphate with the formula Na3V1.7Fe0.3O(PO4)2F2. This compound shows good sodium intercalation and cycling stability in sodium-ion batteries. It has higher capacity and lower resistance compared to other vanadium phosphates. The additional iron doping improves performance. The compound is made by combining sodium, vanadium, iron, fluorine, and phosphate in an aqueous solution and heating it.
KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 2021
Cathode material for sodium ion batteries with high capacity and improved cycle life. The material is a doped sodium lithium transition metal oxide. The dopant is zirconium (Zr) and the composition is Na1-x-yLiyMzOa, where M is a transition metal like Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Mo, or Ru. The dopant level is 0.005 < w < 0.05. The other dopant level is 0.8 <= x <= 0.85, 0.09 <= y <= 0.11, 7 <= x/y <= 10, 0.7 <= z <= 0.95, and 1.95 <= a <= 2.05. The doping process involves electrochemically exchanging lith
Korea Institute of Science and Technology, 2020
Anode active material for sodium-ion batteries with improved capacity compared to existing materials. The anode uses a spinel oxide made from cobalt and tin. The spinel composition is Co2SnO4, represented by the chemical formula Co2SnO4. The spinel structure allows fast sodium ion diffusion for better cycling performance. The anode material is made by precipitating cobalt and tin precursors, filtering, drying, and heat treating.
The Regents of the University of California, 2020
Improved alternatives to lithium-ion batteries using sodium-ion intercalating crystalline active compounds like NaVPO4F in the cathode. The compounds have large cavities that accommodate sodium ions for reversible intercalation/deintercalation. They also have low migration barriers for fast sodium ion diffusion. The compounds like NaVPO4F provide higher voltages and better cycling stability compared to traditional sodium-ion batteries. The disclosure shows that carefully choosing the intercalating compound can overcome the challenges of lower sodium ion mobility versus lithium.
Battelle Memorial Institute, 2020
Sodium-ion batteries with improved performance using a specific anode composition and electrolyte. The anode contains hard carbon and lithium, and the electrolyte is an ether solvent with a sodium salt. This configuration provides higher capacity, better rate performance, and improved cycle life compared to conventional sodium-ion batteries. The lithium in the anode prelithiates the hard carbon, improving its sodium intercalation/deintercalation behavior. The ether electrolyte facilitates faster sodium ion transport compared to carbonate-based electrolytes.
NIPPON ELECTRIC GLASS CO., LTD., 2020
High-voltage, high-capacity positive electrode material for sodium-ion batteries using crystals containing Co and transition metals like Fe, Cr, Ni, and Mn. The compositions are Na1-xCo1-aMxPy2Oz (6<=z<=7.5) where x, y, and a are within certain ranges. These compositions form sodium ion conducting paths with solid electrolytes, have stable crystal structures, and provide improved capacity retention during cycling compared to conventional sodium-ion battery cathodes.
FUNDACIÓN CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIÓN COOPERATIVA DE ENERGÍAS ALTERNATIVAS CIC ENERGIGUNE FUNDAZIOA, 2020
Cathode material for sodium-ion batteries with improved capacity and cycle life compared to prior art materials. The cathode material is a sodium-rich transition metal oxide with the general formula Na_xMn_1-y-zM_zO_2 where M is a substituting element. The substitution of small amounts of transition metals like Fe, Ti, Zn, Cu, or Al into Mn-rich P2-type oxides enhances the capacity and stability of the cathode material for sodium-ion batteries. The substitution allows tuning of the oxidation state of Mn, which improves the capacity and cycling performance of the cathode material.
Nanotek Instruments, Inc., 2018
High energy density lithium and sodium batteries with thicker electrodes and higher active material loadings. The batteries have quasi-solid electrodes containing 30-95% active material, 5-40% electrolyte, and 0.01-30% conductive additive. The thick quasi-solid electrodes have electrical conductivity >10-6 S/cm. This allows higher loading of active material (>15 mg/cm2) compared to slurry coated electrodes. The thicker, more compact electrodes enable higher volumetric capacities and energy densities in batteries.
Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Faradion Limited, 2018
Secondary sodium-ion battery with optimized capacity and energy density by balancing the mass ratio of negative and positive electrode materials and controlling the charging voltage. The battery uses disordered carbon in the negative electrode and a nickel-containing sodium oxide in the positive electrode. The mass ratio of negative to positive electrode material is between 0.37 and 1.2 to prevent sodium plating on the negative electrode during cycling. The charging voltage is selected to keep the minimum voltage on the negative electrode above 0.01 V to prevent plating. This balancing and voltage control improves stability, capacity, and energy density compared to unbalanced ratios or extreme voltages.
TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, 2018
Mixed oxide composition for sodium-ion batteries with high cycling stability. The composition contains sodium, manganese, nickel, and cobalt in specific ratios. The mixed oxide has the formula Na0.7Mn0.7Ni0.3Co0.05O2. The composition can be synthesized by a two-step process involving precipitation of a precursor mixture followed by calcination. The composition provides superior cycling performance in sodium-ion batteries compared to other mixed oxides with fewer metals.
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, 2018
A method to improve the performance of sodium-ion batteries by reducing irreversible capacity during the first charge cycle. The method involves mixing sodium phosphide (Na3P) with a sodium-insertion positive electrode material like sodium ferrite (Na2Fe2(SO4)3) or sodium vanadate (Na3V2(PO4)3) without heating or moisture. This produces a composite electrode material that contains Na3P intimately mixed with the positive electrode material. This composite reduces the amount of sodium lost during the first charge compared to using the positive material alone. The Na3P acts as a sacrificial source of sodium ions that compensates for the loss of sodium from the positive material during cycling.
Shuhei TAKESHITA, Naoto ABE, Yoshio ITOH, Tatsuya DAN, Yuka ARAKI, 2018
Sodium-ion battery with high capacity by using a porous carbon anode material with a three-dimensional network of pores that can insert and extract sodium ions. The porous carbon anode has crystallinity, which allows large amounts of sodium ion occlusion compared to amorphous carbon. This enables higher capacity compared to graphite anodes that collapse during sodium intercalation. The porous carbon anode with crystallinity provides a high capacity sodium-ion battery.
AQUION ENERGY, INC., 2017
Electrochemical energy storage device with cells that can operate over a wider range of capacity variations without degradation compared to conventional cells. The cells have anodes with a composite of intercalation material (like NaTi2(PO4)3) and capacitive material (like activated carbon). During overcharge, hydrogen evolution occurs at the anode. The capacitive material adsorbs hydrogen instead of corroding, protecting the intercalation material. This self-regulation allows wider capacity variations without cell balancing.
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., 2017
Sodium ion battery with improved overcharge resistance to prevent sodium plating. The battery has a positive electrode containing a transition metal oxide like sodium chromite (NaCrO2) that reversibly intercalates sodium ions. The transition metal oxide has a low ratio of sodium to metal atoms (Na/MT) in the fully charged state to reduce irreversible capacity. This reduces the number of sodium ions deintercalated during overcharge compared to higher Na/MT oxides. Additionally, the negative electrode has a material like graphite that reversibly intercalates sodium ions plus an alloying material. This balances the negative capacity to the reduced positive irreversible capacity. The overall capacity ratio of negative vs positive reversible + irreversible capacities is kept above 1 to avoid excessive negative capacity expansion. This prevents sodium plating during overcharge.
Industrial Technology Research Institute, 2016
A composite material for the negative electrode of sodium-ion batteries that improves cycle life compared to conventional sodium titanium phosphate. The composite has the formula Na1+(4-a)xTi2-(x)Mx(PO4)3/C, where M is an element with valence a and 0.1 <= x <= 0.4. The composite is used in the negative electrode with binder and conductive agent in a specific range to balance adhesion and conductivity. This composite provides better stability and capacity retention over cycling compared to pure sodium titanium phosphate.
SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD., 2015
Sodium secondary battery with improved cycle life and high capacity by using amorphous carbon as the negative electrode active material and a molten salt electrolyte containing both sodium and organic cations. The amorphous carbon allows reversible sodium intercalation without sodium plating and dendrite growth. The molten salt electrolyte has better wettability of the carbon compared to aqueous electrolytes. The sodium and organic cations in the electrolyte facilitate sodium intercalation and extraction from the carbon.
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