If there were any doubts that America is approaching a new sodium-ion era, then that uncertainty is a thing of the past. That’s because the U.S. Department of Energy will invest $50 million in a sodium-ion battery consortium for a period of five years. This surprise is no illusion however, according to the Business Wire release of November 21, 2024, that we link to below.
Argonne Opens Door To New Sodium-Ion Era
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory will coordinate the activities of consortium members Brookhaven National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
The ‘Low-Cost Earth-Abundant Na-Ion Storage’ project (LENS), as they call it, will develop high-energy, long-lasting sodium-ion batteries using safe, abundant and inexpensive materials. The overall intention is to loosen the grip of lithium-ion chemistry, and pave the way for more sustainable electric vehicles.
This new sodium-ion era could prove critical for reducing United States dependence on strategically-important lithium, cobalt, and other rare metals. At present, these materials dominate the electric vehicle industry, and the United States does not have a reliable local supply. Whereas sodium is an abundant metal.
The United States Is Well-Positioned for This Transition
Sodium is a soft, silvery-white, highly reactive metal, and the sixth most abundant element in Earth’s crust, according to Wikipedia. However, sodium does not appear in pure form, and must be extracted from compounds.
Pure sodium metal has potential to take over lithium’s role in electric vehicle batteries. This will in principle involve replacing one electrode in the current cell design, simplifying the manufacturing transition.
The United States already produces a substantial amount of the world’s sodium chloride table salt, as well as pure sodium. The transition will also do away with the need for cobalt and nickel, making the new sodium-ion era a winner all round.
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