Delft researchers take next step towards better batteries with widely available materials

Delft researchers are developing batteries that can charge faster, offer more stable storage and are made of sustainable materials that are widely available. In doing so, they offer a cheaper alternative to lithium-ion batteries that consist of rare materials and have a high CO₂ -footprint. 

A paper was recently published in Nature Energy by Marnix Wagemaker and Alexandros Vasileiadis in collaboration with researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, on fast-charging Na-ion batteries and improvements made to the negative electrode. These can be made from organic materials. This reduces the dependence on rare materials that do not come from Europe. 

Full article Origin of fast charging in hard carbon anodes (Nature Energy, (2024)

Plus point: cathode also improved
The Delft researchers have also improved the other side and published about it. This article in Nature Sustainability Fast-charge high-voltage layered cathodes for sodium-ion batteries details the development of a new positive electrode, based on design principles they published in Science in 2020, Rational design of layered oxide materials for sodium-ion batteries.
From these design principles, a material has been designed that combines the best of two possible structures: high energy density is combined with fast charging. As an added bonus, the material appears to change its structure very gradually during charging and discharging, making it last even longer. It also contains no cobalt as is still common in Li-ion cathodes.

Next steps
Thanks to the growing knowledge about these battery materials the next step will be prepared in the third Growth Fund project sustainable battery technology. In it, in addition to Li-ion batteries research, Na-ion research will also be addressed nationally. The battery research will be further expanded, allowing this technology to be applied to national and European markets. 

For questions:

Spokesman Dave Boomkens
d.j.boomkens@tudelft.nl