The utilization of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is ubiquitous in modern society. However, LIBs face major challenges including health, safety and sustainability. The replacement of LIBs with sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have attracted significant interest because of its similarities in chemical behavior to lithium and its vast abundance. Many advanced technologies including XPS and SEM have been utilized to study SIBs. In this work, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (SSNMR) was employed to study local structural information of sodium phosphorus oxynitride (NaPON), a thin-film solid-state electrolyte for SIBs.

This study presents a microwave-assisted synergistic acid treatment to modify natural lotus peduncle-derived hard carbon for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The method improves structural regulation, enhancing rate capability and cycling stability, achieving a capacity of 354.8 mAh g-1 at 20 mA g-1.

Hard carbon is a promising negative electrode material for sodium-ion batteries due to the ready availability of their precursors and high reversible charge storage. The reaction mechanisms that drive the sodiation properties in HC and subsequent electrochemical performance are strictly linked to the characteristic slope and plateau regions observed. The talk will focus on the use of electron paramagnetic resonance to gain further mechanistic insights into HCs.

The increased interest in sodium-ion batteries has led to an active effort in identifying a new generation of electrode materials. In particular, pseudocapacitive materials have attracted considerable attention because of the prospect of achieving high energy density at high rates of charge and discharge. This presentation reviews our recent findings involving crystalline and amorphous TiO₂ and VO₂ and their function as anodes and cathodes for sodium-ion batteries.

This study synthesizes polycrystalline and single-crystal P2-type Na0.67-δMn0.67Ni0.33O2 cathodes for sodium-ion batteries. The single-crystal cathode demonstrates significantly better cycling stability, achieving 47% higher capacity retention after 175 cycles, due to reduced parasitic side reactions.

- Performances of the sodium-ion NVPF-HC cells.

- NVPF-HC cells: New product for the high power battery market.

- TIAMAT industrial and product roadmaps.

With sodium (Na) being more abundant and affordable than lithium, Na-based batteries are emerging as a strong alternative to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for large-scale storage. They offer lower material costs and a more stable supply chain, making them ideal for gigawatt-scale grid applications where cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) is a critical factor.

This study improves the cycling stability of P′2-Na2/3MnO2, a promising Na-ion battery cathode, by doping with Sc3+ ions. The doping reduces capacity decay without sacrificing performance, helping maintain crystallinity and structure during cycling, enhancing battery lifespan.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as an appealing candidate owing to the abundance and low cost of raw materials. In this talk, I will introduce our recent work at the Electrochemical Energy Materials Laboratory (EEML) related to the development of earth-abundant Mn-rich layered oxide positive electrode materials for SIBs. We hope to provide some perspectives regarding the promises and challenges in developing these materials.

Sodium-ion batteries offer a significant cost and sustainability advantage compared to lithium-ion batteries, but they are hampered by severe challenges with cathodes, anodes, and electrolytes and the interfaces associated with them. This presentation will focus on the intricacies involved with layered oxide and Prussian blue analogue cathodes and design of cathode morphology and electrolytes to overcome the challenges. Use of advanced characterization methodologies, such as time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and in-situ gas evolution measurements, to delineate the intricacies will be presented.

Sodium ion batteries (SIBs) and sodium metal batteries (SMBs) are promising options in next-generation energy storage technology. For anode-free SMBs (AF-SMBs), where the cathode is the only ion reservoir, the challenge is to achieve stable electrodeposition/dissolution onto an "empty" current collector, rather than onto pre-existing sodium metal. Despite recent advances, the heterogeneous nature of the reactive growing/shrinking metal - electrolyte interphase remains not fully understood. This study examines how current collector support chemistry (sodiophilic intermetallic Na2Te vs. sodiophobic baseline Cu) and electrodeposition rate affect microstructure of sodium metal and its solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Capacity and current (6 mAh cm-2, 0.5-3 mA cm-2) representative of commercially relevant mass loading in anode-free sodium metal battery (AF-SMBs) are analyzed. Synchrotron X-ray nanotomography and grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) are combined with cryogenic focused ion beam (cryo-FIB) microscopy. Highlighted are major differences in film morphology, internal porosity, and crystallographic preferred orientation e.g. (110) vs. (100) and (211) with support and deposition rate. Within the SEI, sodium fluoride (NaF) is more prevalent with Te-Cu versus sodium hydride (NaH) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with baseline Cu. Due to competitive grain growth the preferred orientation of sodium crystallites depends on film thickness. Mesoscale modelling delineates the role of SEI (ionic conductivity, morphology) on electrodeposit growth and onset of electrochemical instability.

Sodium electrolyte development has borrowed largely from our collective experience in Li-based electrolytes regarding choice of solvents and salts (i.e. counterions). Nuclear magnetic resonance is a powerful method used by our group and others to characterize ion transport processes in lithium-based electrolytes. We present here some recent collaborative studies of Na-electrolytes, using 23Na and 19F NMR. In favorable cases, these measurements yield Na+ transference numbers and extent of ion pairing.

This talk explores advanced characterization techniques for in situ and operando studies of sodium-ion, solid-state, and other energy storage devices. It highlights methods that allow real-time observation of materials and reactions during operation, providing insights into performance, stability, and mechanisms at the atomic and molecular levels.

This study examines Sn/Hard Carbon-based anodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). While nanosized Sn suffers from instability due to severe volume expansion, micrometric Sn (µ-Sn) demonstrates enhanced stability, particularly in glyme-based electrolytes. Composite µ-Sn/HC electrodes exhibit enhanced stability and long cycle life due to the formation of a robust porous Sn network, which mitigates volume expansion and structural degradation, offering a promising pathway for high-performance SIB anodes.

We examine the technical gaps that still need to be addressed, particularly in energy density and cycle life, and evaluate the market conditions and cost structures that would enable SIBs to establish themselves in targeted segments such as stationary storage and entry-level mobility applications.

- Technology Benchmark position vs. LFP

- Cost Advantage and Supply Chain Implications

- Leading Market and Use Case Segments