Electrode Material from CO2 Leads to Exceptional Performance in Sodium-ion Batteries
Tallinn, – UP Catalyst, a leading Estonian nanotechnology company, is proud to announce the achievement of superior performance in sodium-ion batteries using a novel electrode material derived from CO2. The tests were conducted by Titirici group, a multidisciplinary research team based at Imperial College London, focusing on the applications of carbon materials in renewable energy technologies.
Recent developments in energy storage technology have led to a growing demand for high-performance, environmentally sustainable batteries. UP Catalyst has been at the forefront of this research, producing sustainable carbon materials to enhance battery performance. The latest breakthrough involves the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), derived from CO2 through the process of electrolysis, which have shown remarkable results in sodium-ion batteries.
The tests conducted by the Titirici group with UP Catalyst’s carbon nanotubes indicated that the cyclability of the batteries increased significantly. The results showed 93.75% capacity retention after exceeding 4000 charge and discharge cycles. By contrast, the batteries that are currently in widespread use become depleted after just 800 cycles while experiencing a significant reduction in capacity. UP Catalyst’s electrode material also exhibits excellent stability and improved energy density, making it a promising candidate for large-scale energy storage applications.
“We are thrilled with the results of these tests and the potential they hold for the future of energy storage,” said Gary Urb, CEO of UP Catalyst. „UP Catalyst is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing and promoting sustainable energy solutions. The development of this new electrode material is a significant step towards achieving these goals, as it not only enhances battery performance, but also helps to mitigate the impact of carbon emissions on the environment, “he added.
This also means that sodium-ion battery technology could approach and exceed the performance of lithium-ion batteries at a much lower cost and higher efficiency and safety levels. As battery giants like CATL have claimed to have solved the sodium-ion batteries’ energy density problem, the only downfall compared to Li-ion batteries, there is nothing stopping large manufacturers from turning towards mass production of new generation sodium-ion batteries. HiNa Battery Technology in China, Tiamat in France, Altris in Sweden, and Natron Energy in the US are all commercializing sodium-ion batteries indicating a huge shift in energy storage technologies. UP Catalyst has now come up with a sustainable electrode material for the battery composition that increases the battery characteristics even further.
“Our team of experts is dedicated to finding new and innovative solutions that meet the growing demand for high-performance, sustainable batteries, and UP Catalyst’s electrode material is a major step forward in that direction,” mentioned Prof. Magda Titirici, head of Titirici group.
UP Catalyst uses CO2 rich flue gases from heavy industry emitters, biogenic origin and even direct air captured (DAC) CO2 as a feedstock for producing sustainable carbon nanomaterials and graphite, a critical raw material both in the EU and the US. From every 3.7 tons of CO2 one ton of carbon material is produced. The company believes that this new electrode material has the potential to revolutionize the energy storage industry and help bring us closer to a more sustainable future.
