02 9541 3500Battery Technology Breakthrough: Shaping Energy Storage
We are helping to Build Better Batteries during development and manufacturing processes.
The Global Shift Towards Renewable Energy
Increasingly the world is experiencing more frequent and intense extreme weather events which are already impacting every region on Earth. At the COP28 United Nations climate talks in December 2023, governments from nearly 200 countries agreed to the transition away from technologies that use fossil fuels, the primary cause of the climate crisis.
Key Challenges:
- Rising extreme weather events
- Need for fossil fuel transition
- Growing demand for clean energy technologies
While fossil fuel technology is the major contributor to climate change, moving to new and more efficient renewable technologies can help us reduce net emissions and create a more sustainable world.
In power generation, transport, heating, cooking and industrial processes like steel and cement manufacturing, we have new technology needed to replace fossil fuels. In fact, surging market demand for clean energy technologies – wind, solar, and electric cars – is now displacing polluting technologies, such as coal-fired power and combustion engine vehicles, on a global scale. Beyond power generation the need for energy storage is undeniable.
Australian Battery Development Landscape
Current Research Developments
Batteries will play a major role in the world’s decarbonisation journey, and Australia is very well placed for this opportunity given its vast mineral reserves (e.g. lithium, nickel, copper and cobalt) and access to innovative our University’s research and development. Australian researchers at the University of Wollongong have been working with; Edge Functionalised Graphene,’ which they say could unlock cheaper and better-performing lithium-ion batteries.
The lithium salt currently used in lithium-ion batteries is lithium hexafluorophosphate, which poses a safety risk. Researchers are developing the use of fluoroborate salts, which are showing promise for being much safer. Universities within Australia are working with industry on research and development of products. Leveraging that research with strong manufacturing cooperation would allow Australia to develop world-leading products that could create huge benefits for both our economy and the health of our planet.
The Future of Battery Technology
Sodium-Ion Battery Innovation
The move to renewable energy and storage to power our cars, homes, electronic devices, and everything we rely on for our daily lives, is dependent not only on our ability to build batteries that are cheaper, safer and more efficient but also to build them at scale.
Key advantages:
- Cost-effective alternative
- Environmental sustainability
- Enhanced safety features
- Manufacturing compatibility
While lithium-ion batteries have dominated the energy storage landscape for years, issues like limited lithium resources, rising costs and environmental concerns have led researchers and companies to explore sodium ion batteries as a promising alternative.
Lithium-ion vs. Sodium-ion Batteries: Key Differences
| Feature | Lithium-ion Battery | Sodium-ion Battery |
|---|---|---|
| Applications | EVs, mobile devices | Grid storage, scooters, buses |
| Cost | Higher | Lower |
| Resource Availability | Limited (Lithium) | Abundant (Sodium) |
| Energy Density | Higher (Compact) | Lower (Bulkier) |
| Environmental Impact | Higher (Heavy metals used) | Lower (Easier to recycle) |
| Safety | Prone to overheating | Less prone to overheating |
Researchers at the University of Wollongong (UOW) Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM) are continuing to develop new materials and processing techniques that will enable a major step forward in the development of sodium-ion batteries to be used as a viable alternative for large-scale storage where the size of the battery is less of an issue.
Material Properties Optimization
Are Sodium-ion batteries a good choice?
Sodium-based materials are emerging as a significant trend in the battery market primarily due to the limitations of traditional lithium-ion batteries and the growing demand for alternatives. Although sodium-ion batteries tend to have a lower energy density meaning they are bulkier and heavier compared to Li-ion batteries which can store more energy for a given volume or weight, sodium is far more abundant and cheaper to extract.
Sodium-ion batteries don’t require heavy metals to produce – making them easier to recycle and having less impact on the environment. Sodium ion batteries are less prone to overheating offering safety advantages over lithium-ion batteries. They are ideal for stationary applications such as a grid-scale power station and modes of transport that aren’t required to travel long distances, such as electric scooters or electric buses.
Given the significant benefits Sodium-ion batteries offer and the fact that they work in a way similar to Li-ion batteries, they are a simple alternative to integrate into existing battery technologies and manufacturing processes.
Optimised battery material properties
Particle Shape Importance
Particle shape plays a critical role in the performance and manufacturing of sodium-based batteries as well as impacting several key factors that influence the efficiency, safety and durability of batteries.
Spherical particles provide a more controlled and consistent surface area often leading to better packing density and uniformity. Irregular particles might offer more surface area but can result in uneven reactions and inconsistent battery performance. Spherical particles offer smoother and more predictable pathways for ion transport improving the batter’s efficiency, while irregularly shaped particles can create longer pathways which might slow down ion transport and reduce the charge and discharge rate.
Spherical particles provide a more controlled and consistent surface area, often analyzed using SEM and TEM techniques, which reveal intricate details about particle morphology and structure.
Impact of Particle Shape on Battery Performance and Manufacturing
| Particle Shape | Impact on Manufacturing | Impact on Battery Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Well-Defined Shapes | Creates thicker, uniform electrodes | Retains conductivity and enhances energy density |
| Spherical | Easier to process and coat | Improves ion transport and efficiency |
| Irregular | Harder to achieve uniform distribution | May slow ion transport, reducing charge rates |
Uniform and well-defined shapes such as spheres are generally easier to process mix and coat during the production of battery electrodes. Highly round particles can help create thicker more uniform electrodes that retain good conductivity and ion transport characteristics, while irregular particles may limit the electrode thickness due to poor packing and uneven distribution reducing the achievable energy density.
In the sodium-based battery industry controlling the particle shape of powders is crucial for maximising battery performance efficiency and durability.
Advanced Analysis Technologies
Morphologi 4-ID for automated particle shape analysis
The Malvern Morphologi 4 combines the power of optical microscopy with sophisticated software algorithms to analyse and quantify particle shape (or size). Unlike traditional microscopy, which requires manual operation and analysis, automated optical imaging can capture the shape, size, texture, and distribution of thousands of particles at once.
Using Morphologi 4’s fully automated image analysis capabilities, users can measure circularity, elongation/aspect ratio, circular Equivalent (CE) diameter, transparency and more for particles as small as 0.5 μm, and sample sizes from 10,000 to 500,000 particles.
In addition, with the Morphologi 4-ID, these automated static imaging capabilities can be combined with Raman spectroscopy, enabling users to simultaneously measure particle size, shape, and chemical identity on one platform.
With the demand for batteries increasing rapidly, more and more manufacturers will need automated optical imaging in their quality-control toolbox. Instruments like the Morphologi 4 can help solve this often-overlooked piece of the battery-manufacturing puzzle.
Importance of particle size analysis
Ensuring that the particles used in battery materials are correctly sized is essential for problem-free manufacturing and battery performance. From optimising the flow of battery slurries, the packing density and porosity of electrode coatings, and charge rate capacity and cycling durability of battery cells – it is important to have an accurate and reliable measurement of the material particle size distribution. See the webinar for more information.
Mastersizer 3000+ for Particle Size Distribution
Key Features:
- User-friendly interface
- SOP Architect capability
- Real-time measurement optimisation
- Data Quality Guidance Software
Building on the success of our Mastersizer 3000 laser diffraction instrument, the new Mastersizer 3000+ with its added features, is ideal for customers that require access to near-instantaneous insights into particulate mixtures for their battery research and production operations. The user-friendly interface takes the guesswork out of particle size distribution measurement.
By passing a laser beam through a dispersed particulate sample, the Mastersizer 3000+ laser diffraction system rapidly determines the size and proportion of the particulates based on Mie’s theory of light scattering. This enables users to optimise the properties of battery slurries, electrode coatings, and battery cells quickly and reliably, even in a production environment – and the Mastersizer 3000+ makes this easier than ever.
The SOP Architect feature guides even first-time users through the method development process, while the Measurement Manager helps users optimise measurement conditions in real time for particles from 10nm to 3.5mm in size. When users receive their results, they can consult Mastersizer 3000+’s Data Quality Guidance software to identify potential data quality issues and receive suggestions for solutions – just like having an expert there available to assist with the measurement process and data interpretation at all times.
Comparison of Morphologi 4-ID and Mastersizer 3000+ Features
| Feature | Morphologi 4-ID | Mastersizer 3000+ |
|---|---|---|
| Software Features | Automated image analysis | SOP Architect and Data Quality Guidance |
| Application | Particle shape and chemical identity | Particle size distribution |
| Technology | Optical microscopy + Raman spectroscopy | Laser diffraction |
| Particle Size Range | 0.5 µm and up | 10 nm to 3.5 mm |
Would you like to learn more about our new battery technology and battery analysis solutions? Contact our team for expert consultation.
To learn more about these innovations and discover even more features of the Morphologi 4ID and Mastersizer 3000+, Contact us.