New Delhi: Researchers from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Delhi introduced a groundbreaking study on room-temperature sodium-sulphur (RT-Na/S) batteries on Friday, offering a promising alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries face challenges related to the scarcity of key materials and supply chain issues for critical components, pushing manufacturers to seek other viable battery technologies.
RT-Na/S batteries, which utilize abundant and cost-effective materials like sodium and sulphur for their electrodes, present a potential solution, according to the IIT Delhi team. These batteries function through a different chemical process, allowing them to store significantly more energy than their lithium-ion counterparts.
However, one major issue with RT-Na/S batteries is the growth of dendrites—branched formations that develop on the sodium metal anode, which can lead to battery failure over time.
Researchers at the Department of Energy Science and Engineering (DESE) at IIT Delhi have been working to address this problem. These dendrites can cause short circuits and compromise battery performance.
In their study, published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry, the team found a way to stabilize RT-Na/S batteries by using an iodide-based additive in the organic electrolyte solution.
To prevent dendrite formation, the team introduced Bismuth iodide (BiI3) as an additive to modify the electrolyte properties.
BiI3 decreases the energy needed for sodium ions to transition from the solvent to the electrode, improving the battery’s charge transfer efficiency. This leads to enhanced performance and quicker charging, according to the research team.
Prof. Vipin Kumar from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at IIT Delhi remarked, “This innovative work emphasizes the importance of research in overcoming global energy challenges. By leveraging the potential of abundant and safe materials like sodium and sulphur, and enhancing their performance with additives like BiI3, we are moving toward more sustainable and accessible energy storage solutions.”
He added, “Room-temperature sodium-sulphur batteries could be highly effective in applications such as electric vehicles and grid storage.”
This version maintains the key ideas but is reworded to avoid direct plagiarism while keeping the content intact.
