Innovative Battery Technology Utilizes Sustainable Carbon Materials for Cost-Effective Energy Storage

An Affordable, Sustainable New Battery Technology
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Traditional lithium-ion batteries depend on graphite as an anode material. However, this same graphite structure does not perform well with sodium or potassium. Researchers have found a solution by rethinking the carbon structure on a microscopic level.

As global demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage continues to rise, the need for affordable and sustainable battery technologies becomes increasingly urgent. A new study led by researchers from the Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University, in collaboration with Baylor University and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, has proposed an innovative solution that could transform electrochemical energy storage technologies. This research was recently published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

Utilizing a byproduct from the oil and gas industry, the team worked with uniquely shaped carbon materials—specifically tiny cones and discs with a pure graphitic structure. These unique forms, produced through scalable pyrolysis of hydrocarbons, could help solve a long-standing issue in battery research: the challenge of efficiently storing energy with elements like sodium and potassium, which are significantly cheaper and more abundant than lithium.

“For years, we’ve known that sodium and potassium are attractive alternatives to lithium,” said Corresponding Author Pulickel Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor of Engineering at Rice. “But the challenge has always been finding carbon-based anode materials that can store these larger ions efficiently.”

While traditional lithium-ion batteries utilize graphite as an anode material, this structure is inadequate for sodium or potassium due to the size and complexity of their atoms, which struggle to move in and out of graphite’s tightly packed layers. By rethinking the microscopic shape of carbon, the research team found a workaround. The cone and disc structures provide curvature and spacing that accommodate sodium and potassium ions without requiring chemical doping or other artificial modifications.

In an exclusive Tech Briefs interview, First Author Atin Pramanik, a postdoctoral associate in Ajayan’s lab, discussed the technical challenges and advancements made during this research.

Tech Briefs: What was the biggest technical challenge you faced while developing this energy storage method?
Pramanik: One significant challenge was synthesizing graphitic carbon from oil and natural gas byproducts. This material is very inexpensive and is often discarded, but it’s not environmentally friendly. We created a unique form of graphitic carbon that is morphable and suitable for sodium-ion batteries. Currently, lithium technologies are being commercialized, but lithium is not evenly distributed globally, making it more expensive than sodium, which is widely available. Sodium-ion batteries present a promising alternative for practical use. The unique morphology we developed allows sodium to integrate into the graphitic structure, overcoming previous limitations.

Tech Briefs: How does it differ from prior renewable energy storage methods?
Pramanik: Our study demonstrates that graphitic carbon shows exceptionally high reversible sodium-ion battery performance, making it unique compared to previously reported methods.

Tech Briefs: Do you have any set plans for further research?
Pramanik: Yes, we are following up on this work and have recently published part of our research focused on enhancing cycling performance to facilitate commercialization.

Tech Briefs: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Pramanik: The most notable aspect is the material development, as it is derived from waste products and can be produced at a kilogram scale, with potential for even larger-scale production. This makes it a sustainable solution, as we are transforming waste into a valuable product while achieving impressive battery performance.

This innovative approach not only addresses the limitations of traditional battery technologies but also offers a promising path toward more sustainable energy storage solutions.