A new era for batteries is dawning. Argonne National Laboratory is leading a $50 million initiative. This initiative aims to advance sodium-ion technology. The goal is to create a more sustainable and cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries. This also addresses supply chain concerns and fosters a robust U.S. sodium-ion battery ecosystem.
Addressing Supply Chain Vulnerabilities with Abundant Materials
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $50 million. This funding will support the Low-cost Earth-abundant Na-ion Storage (LENS) consortium over the next five years. Argonne leads the consortium. It includes six national laboratories (Brookhaven, Lawrence Berkeley, Pacific Northwest, Sandia, and SLAC) and eight universities. The LENS consortium aims to develop high-energy, long-lasting sodium-ion batteries. They will use safe, abundant, and inexpensive materials. This addresses a crucial need. It reduces U.S. reliance on limited and strategically important elements used in lithium-ion batteries. Consequently, it paves the way for a more sustainable future in electric vehicle (EV) technology.
“By leading the LENS consortium, Argonne will push sodium-ion battery technology forward. It will also contribute to a secure energy future for everyone,” said Argonne Director Paul Kearns. “Our scientific expertise and dynamic collaborations in this important field will strengthen U.S. competitiveness.”
Overcoming the Energy Density Challenge
Currently, lithium-ion batteries dominate the energy storage market. However, relying on a single battery chemistry creates vulnerabilities. This is especially true due to the critical elements (lithium, cobalt, and nickel) they contain. Sodium is an abundant element. Therefore, it can mitigate this risk and bolster supply chain resilience. The U.S. is well-positioned to supply both raw materials (sodium chloride) and innovation for sodium-ion technology. Sodium-ion batteries can eliminate not just lithium, but also cobalt and nickel in some applications. Thus, they provide a more affordable and sustainable solution.
However, sodium-ion batteries currently store less energy per unit weight and volume than lithium-ion batteries. This results in a lower driving range for EVs.
“The challenge ahead is improving sodium-ion energy density. It needs to first match and then exceed that of phosphate-based lithium-ion batteries. This must happen while minimizing and eliminating the use of all critical elements,” said Venkat Srinivasan, director of the LENS consortium and of the Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science (ACCESS). “Importantly, any improvements must not compromise other performance metrics such as cycle life and safety.”
Collaborative Research Drives Innovation
To achieve these goals, Argonne has assembled a team of researchers. They come from national laboratories and universities. They bring extensive experience in sodium-ion battery research. Together, they will focus on several key areas. First, they will discover and develop high-energy electrode materials. Second, they will improve electrolytes. Finally, they will design, integrate, and benchmark battery cells.
“Sustaining the deployment of electric vehicles requires affordable and sustainable battery chemistries,” said Will Chueh, director of the SLAC-Stanford Battery Center. “The bold technical targets of LENS aim to transform sodium-ion batteries from a promising technology to a viable component of tomorrow’s electric vehicles.”
“Sodium-ion batteries can play an important role in society’s need for inexpensive energy storage,” said Gerd Ceder, a senior faculty scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Materials Sciences Division. “Foundational research in new materials discovery, advanced manufacturing, and characterization is critical to the development and deployment of competitive sodium-ion battery technology. Berkeley Lab is proud to be part of this consortium.”
Building a U.S. Sodium-Ion Ecosystem
An advisory board of established and emerging companies will provide valuable industry perspectives. This will help foster a U.S. ecosystem for sodium-ion batteries. LENS will be part of a growing DOE portfolio on sodium-ion batteries. This includes research for EV and grid storage applications. The consortium includes eight universities: Florida State University, University of California San Diego, University of Houston, University of Illinois Chicago, University of Maryland, University of Rhode Island, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Virginia Tech. With all 14 partners involved, LENS will play a key role in training the next generation of battery scientists and researchers.
“Our world is on the verge of a profound shift in how we power our everyday lives,” said Feng Lin, professor of chemistry at Virginia Tech. “With the combined expertise of the LENS consortium, we now have a unique opportunity to pioneer new battery technologies for electric vehicles. We will also train a new generation of scientists and engineers who will contribute to our domestic battery innovation and manufacturing.”
LENS is supported by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office.
