Over the last few years, interest in high energy density sodium ion (Na-ion) batteries has increased.
However, relatively little research has been conducted in this area and, as a result, these next generation materials have not yet been brought to market. Na-ion batteries are a direct replacement for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, allowing current Li-ion battery manufacturers to use existing equipment to construct batteries using Faradion’s next-generation materials.
Benefits of Faradion sodium-ion technology
Faradion’s sodium-ion technology has already shown specific energy densities in full cells far exceeding those of other known sodium-ion materials. In addition, the Faradion team have already developed materials with energy densities exceeding that of the popular Li-ion material lithium iron phosphate, dispelling the misconception held by some that sodium-ion materials will be unable to achieve high energy densities. The graph below shows a comparison of the cathode specific energy densities of some sodium ion materials achieved in full cells, with LiFePO4 included as a well-known comparison.
Sodium-ion (Na-ion) technology is similar to lithium-ion (Li-ion) technology and the following points highlight the important similarities and differences:
Availability and Cost
• Na-ion materials have lower material costs than Li-ion materials (e.g. sodium carbonate is < 10 % of the cost of the equivalent lithium salt). Furthermore, cathode and electrolyte costs can be ~ 50 % of cell costs, so the overall cost reduction is substantial
• Na is far more abundant in the earth’s crust than Li (Na ~ 2.6 % vs. Li ~ 0.005 %) making this technology more sustainable
• Drop-in solution
o Na-ion materials can be processed in the same way as Li-ion materials at every step, from the synthesis of the active materials to the electrode processing. This will allow current Li-ion battery manufacturers to use existing equipment to construct batteries using Faradion’s novel materials.
o Existing Li-ion manufacturing lines can be used to make Na-ion batteries
Current collectors in sodium-ion cells can be fabricated from aluminium rather than the more expensive copper necessary in lithium cells
Energy density
Faradion’s novel Na-ion cells have energy densities similar to those of conventional Li-ion materials
Power
Initial electrochemical tests have shown that the rate capabilities of Faradion’s Na-ion materials can be as good as those of conventional Li-ion materials
Safety
Safer materials (improved thermal stability) and improved transport safety
Cycle life
Preliminary cell testing has shown excellent cycle life in many of Faradion’s novel materials
Shelf life
Preliminary analysis indicates similar shelf life to currently available Li-ion materials
Faradion’s sodium-ion technology
Faradion’s novel technology is already being employed within 3 Ah prismatic cells, which are currently being supplied to Williams Advanced Engineering as part of a project co-funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency. The cells are being incorporated into battery packs by Williams.
Intellectual property
Compared to Li-ion technology, relatively little research has been conducted on Na-ion materials. Faradion has now filed more than 10 patent families covering applications, materials and material synthesis.
Availability for licensing
Parties interested in further discussions about using the Faradion technology, please contact us.
Faradion and AGM Batteries wins’ government funding for sodium-ion EV batteries
• Partnership will develop sodium-ion chemistry for use in road cars by 2025
• Sodium-ion battery technology could significantly reduce the cost of future electric vehicles
• £38m Innovate UK fund aims to make the UK a global leader in exporting state-of-the-art emissions-cutting technology
The innovator of sodium-ion battery technology, Faradion, in partnership with AGM Batteries Limited, has been awarded funding to develop its pioneering battery technology for electric vehicles. The project, which is part of Innovate UK’s £38.2m initiative to make the UK a global leader in emissions-cutting technology, could see sodium-ion batteries powering production cars by as early as 2025.
By using highly abundant sodium salts rather than lithium, it is expected that sodium-ion batteries will be around 30% cheaper to produce than conventional lithium-ion cells. This could dramatically reduce the cost of electric vehicles.
Faradion and AGM will develop its sodium-ion battery technology to meet vehicle manufacturer specifications, delivering a working prototype for EVs by 2018. This will then be tested by a number of OEM’s, which are also involved in Innovate UK projects, to develop EV powertrains.
The programme will see the partners modify existing sodium-ion technology to make it suitable for use in EVs, which includes adapting the active materials at the cathode and anode to meet OEM specification.
Faradion’s CEO, Francis Massin, said, “This project will help the automotive industry to develop a more stable, sustainable and cost-effective solution to electric vehicle power than is currently available. Faradion’s leading role in this demonstrates its position as the driving force in the development of sodium-ion battery technology"
As well as nearly £400,000 Innovate UK funding, the project will be made possible thanks to significant financial backing by Finance Yorkshire. Faradion was one of the first investments made by Finance Yorkshire, allowing the company to develop its sodium-ion technology for a number of real-world applications.
Collaborating with Faradion on the project will be UK-based cell developer and manufacturer, AGM Batteries Limited. Faradion is already working in partnership with AGM Batteries to commercialise sodium-ion technology for high-volume manufacture at it 4,000m2 production facility in Caithness, Scotland. AGM have been awarded £700k from Innovate UK to help develop the technology and produce first prototypes.
Kevin Brundish, CEO of AGM Batteries, said, “AGM is delighted to work with Faradion on its sodium-ion technology, helping develop and commercialise an innovative UK technology. AGM is uniquely positioned to take such technologies to market; in addition to the automotive industry, a low cost and safe battery technology has wide ranging opportunities including grid storage and oil and gas applications”
Faradion recently announced that it was awarded Innovate UK funding to develop sodium-ion technology in batteries for solar energy storage in conjunction with Moixa Technology and WMG, University of Warwick.
AGM Batteries
AGM Batteries works with clients and partners to scale new battery technologies through to manufacture. Our business involves the transfer of developed laboratory and ‘pilot scale’ process to our facility. The team has extensive experience in electro-chemistry, cell technology development, scaling for manufacture and bringing new products to market. We also work with research groups and pilot scale facilities in the earlier stages of development to aid with Design for Manufacture. AGM also provides a manufacturing service for client companies, producing cells on their behalf. We have the flexibility to manufacture a broad range of chemistries and cell types in pouch and cylindrical formats for our clients under sub-contract or as a Licensee.
www.agmbatteries.com
Faradion
Faradion is pioneering the next generation of advanced, low-cost battery materials. These novel materials employ sodium-ion (Na-ion) technology which, when incorporated into batteries, will be virtually indistinguishable in in terms of performance from the leading lithium-ion (Li-io) products currently on the market. Na-ion batteries have a number of benefits compared to battery technologies already on the market, with the foremost advantage being the low cost. The sodium salts used to prepare these battery materials are highly abundant, coming from more renewable sources than those of equivalent lithium salts, making them both cheap and easily obtainable. If compared to the equivalent salts to make Li-ion batteries, the cost is approximately 1/10th. Faradion was virtually the firs investment made by Finance Yorkshire and is headquartered in Sheffield’s Innovation Centre. See more at:
Faradion | Leading the way in advanced, low-cost energy storage solutions
Warwick Manufacturing Group
The electrochemical engineering group at WMG is comprised of researchers and engineers with several years of experience in Lithium ion battery research and manufacturing. WMG has a pilot scale pouch cell manufacturing facility and expertise in battery cell development, characterisation and testing. This is complimentary to AGM’s larger manufacturing facility and is an invaluable and cost effective centre to assist with the processes, cell characterisation and prototyping of the cells.
www.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg
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