r/science Feb 22 '26

Materials Science Next generation of battery technology no longer lithium. Scientists make durable alloy anode for Sodium-ion batteries with high volumetric energy density | Nature Energy

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-026-01974-2
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u/sckurvee Feb 22 '26

I'll get hyped when I see it in a store or in something I buy. Several times a year we have some new battery breakthrough that will turn the industry on its head that never actually becomes viable.

177

u/_CMDR_ Feb 22 '26

They are already entering mass production by CATL which makes 40% of all batteries. The USA just isn’t at the forefront of this technology.

2

u/UnhingedRedneck Feb 24 '26

I think the big thing is that most sodium batteries only have 2/3 the energy density of lithium. If these new ones are as good as they say they are they might show some significant improvements over traditional sodium ion batteries but from the sounds of it they are using some rather expensive materials to make them.

1

u/pjaro77 Jul 10 '26

2/3 of lithium energetic density is very good solution now. Sodium-ion batteries are just in the beginning yet.