(Europe Section Alessandro Volta Award) The Journey Towards the Large-Scale Commercialization of Low-Cost and High Energy Density Na-ion Batteries
Authors: Barker Jeremy 
Published: November 2022

Na-ion batteries based on non-aqueous electrolytes represent an inexpensive and sustainable alternative to their Li-ion counterparts [1,2]. The cost advantage is particularly apparent at the present time as the prices of battery grade Li and Co precursor salts have spiraled upwards in the last 18 months. Faradion Limited is a UK-based company, founded in 2011 and from December 2021, part of Reliance Industries Limited of India*. It is commercializing its Na-ion battery technology in a number of large format applications. It has identified and developed a wide range of inexpensive and proprietary active materials and non-aqueous electrolyte systems which offer low manufacturing costs as well as outstanding electrochemical performance and intrinsic safety. Over the past 10 years the company has incorporated these materials into full-scale Na-ion cells to a point where battery performance characteristics such as energy density, rate capability and cycle life are competitive with commercial Li-ion technologies.

The Faradion Na-ion prototype cells demonstrate low-capacity fade on cycling, coupled to low polarization and excellent columbic and energy (round-trip) efficiency and may be configured for both energy and power applications. The use of Al for both current collectors serves as an additional and significant cost and safety benefit and allows the cells to be stored and transported at 0 V (i.e. physically shorted) [3]. The Faradion Na-ion cells are manufactured on commercial Li-ion production lines using proven battery designs [4,5]. Pouch, cylindrical and prismatic cell designs have all been demonstrated successfully [6].

Faradion has worked with its commercial partners to scale-up its Na-ion cell chemistry to the 40 Wh and 90 Wh pouch cell level – see for example, figure 1. These cells deliver a cell level specific energy of over 150 Wh/kg and have been incorporated into a range of demonstrator energy storage applications, including E-bike, residential, renewables, telecoms and automotive [6]. Faradion’s technology roadmap indicates that a specific energy in excess of 190 Wh/kg will be accessible in the near future. Other key attributes such as low precursor costs, material sustainability and excellent temperature range, confirm that Faradion’s Na-ion battery technology will prove commercially successful in a range of large format applications [7].

Reference
s:

[1] J. Barker, M.Y. Saidi and J. Swoyer, Electrochem. Solid-State Chem. 6 (2003) A1

[2] K. Kubota and S. Komaba, J. Electrochem. Soc., 162 (2015) A2538. doi.org/10.1149/2.0151514jes

[3] (a) A. Rudola, C.J. Wright and J. Barker, Energy Materials Advances, 2021 Article ID 9798460. doi.org/10.34133/2021/9798460 (b) J. Barker and C.J. Wright, Assignee: Faradion Limited. US Patent #11159027

[4] A. Bauer, J. Song, S. Vail, W. Pan, J. Barker and Y. Lu, Adv. Energy Materials, 1 2018, 1702869. doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201702869

[5] For example, J. Barker and R.J. Heap, Assignee: Faradion Limited, US Patent#9774035, US Patent #9917307, US Patent #1019628, US Patent #10115966, US Patent #10050271, US Patent #10399863

[6] (a) American Chemical Society, Chemical & Engineering News, July 20, 2015, Vol. 93, Issue 29. (b) American Chemical Society, Chemical & Engineering News, May 24, 2022, Vol. 100, Issue 19

[7] A. Rudola et al. J. Mater Chem A, 2021, 9, 8279-8302. doi.org/10.1039/D1TA00376C

Footnote:

[*] In late 2021, Faradion Limited was acquired by Reliance New Energy Systems Limited (RNESL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) of India.

Figure 1