US lab doubles high-voltage sodium battery lifespans, cell prototype hits 500 cycles

PNNL researchers developed a new meta-weakly solvating electrolyte for high-voltage sodium-ion batteries.

The chemistry improved solvation control and reduced damaging side reactions at the electrode interface.

A lab prototype retained 80% of its capacity after 500 charge-discharge cycles.

The advance could help make lower-cost, longer-lasting energy storage using abundant sodium instead of lithium.