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Abstract Sodium‐ion batteries have attracted extensive interest as a promising solution for large‐scale electrochemical energy storage, owing to their low cost, materials abundance, good reversibility, and decent energy density. For sodium‐ion batteries to achieve comparable performance to current lithium‐ion batteries, significant improvements are still required in cathode, anode, and electrolyte materials. Understanding the functioning and degradation mechanisms of the materials is essential. Computational techniques have been widely applied in tandem with experimental investigations to provide crucial fundamental insights into electrode materials and to facilitate the development of materials for sodium‐ion batteries. Herein, the authors review computational studies on electrode materials in sodium‐ion batteries. The authors summarize the current state‐of‐the‐art computational techniques and their applications in investigating the structure, ordering, diffusion, and phase transformation in cathode and anode materials for sodium‐ion batteries. The unique capability and the obtained knowledge of computational studies as well as the perspectives for sodium‐ion battery materials are discussed in this review.
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Perspective: Design of cathode materials for sustainable sodium-ion batteries
Abstract Manufacturing sustainable sodium ion batteries with high energy density and cyclability requires a uniquely tailored technology and a close attention to the economical and environmental factors. In this work, we summarized the most important design metrics in sodium ion batteries with the emphasis on cathode materials and outlined a transparent data reporting approach based on common metrics for performance evaluation of future technologies. Sodium-ion batteries are considered as one of the most promising alternatives to lithium-based battery technologies. Despite the growing research in this field, the implementation of this technology has been practically hindered due to a lack of high energy density cathode materials with a long cycle-life. In this perspective, we first provide an overview of the milestones in the development of Na-ion battery (NIB) systems over time. Next, we discuss critical metrics in extraction of key elements used in NIB cathode materials which may impact the supply chain in near future. Finally, in the quest of most promising cathode materials for the next generation of NIBs, we overlay an extensive perspective on the main findings in design and test of more than 295 reports in the past 10 years, exhibiting that layered oxides, Prussian blue analogs (PBAs) and polyanions are leading candidates for cathode materials. An in-depth comparison of energy density and capacity retention of all the currently available cathode materials is also provided. In this perspective, we also highlight the importance of large data analysis for sustainable material design based on available datasets. The insights provided in this perspective, along with a more transparent data reporting approach and an implementation of common metrics for performance evaluation of NIBs can help accelerate future cathode materials design in the NIB field. Graphical abstract
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- Award ID(s):
- 2044465
- PAR ID:
- 10367743
- Publisher / Repository:
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- MRS Energy & Sustainability
- Volume:
- 9
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 2329-2229
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 183-197
- Size(s):
- p. 183-197
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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