WHAT IS IT?
A different liquid solution and a specific kind of salt create a new electrolyte that enables a longer life cycle than most sodium-ion batteries previously reported.
WHY IMPORTANT
Rising demand for batteries has caused the price of lithium to skyrocket—it’s up nearly 450% compared with last year, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights. Sodium, meanwhile, “has an almost unlimited supply.” China is also ready to launch a commercial sodium batter and is leading this research.
