New Sodium Battery Utilizes Supercapacitor Technology for Fast Charging

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have made a significant breakthrough in battery technology by developing a high-energy, high-power hybrid sodium-ion battery capable of fast charging.

Professor Jeung Ku Kang and his team from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST have successfully integrated anode materials typically found in batteries with cathodes suitable for supercapacitors. This innovative combination allows the battery to achieve both high storage capacities and rapid charge-discharge rates, positioning it as a promising alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries.

One of the key challenges in developing this hybrid battery was improving the slow energy storage rate of battery-type anodes and enhancing the relatively low capacity of supercapacitor-type cathode materials. To address this, the team utilized two distinct metal-organic frameworks for the optimized synthesis of the battery components.

Through their research, the team was able to create an anode material with improved kinetics by incorporating fine active materials in porous carbon derived from metal-organic frameworks. Additionally, a high-capacity cathode material was synthesized, leading to the development of a sodium-ion storage system that optimizes energy storage rates between the electrodes.

The resulting full cell, composed of the newly developed anode and cathode materials, boasts an impressive energy density of 247 Wh/kg and a power density of 34.7 kW/kg over 5000 cycles. This performance surpasses that of commercial lithium-ion batteries and exhibits characteristics similar to supercapacitors, making it ideal for applications requiring rapid charging such as electric vehicles, smart electronic devices, and aerospace technologies.

To demonstrate the fast-rechargeable capability of their invention, the team created a fast-charging kit using multiple coin-type cells linked in series. This kit acts as a power-source module, showcasing the potential of the hybrid sodium-ion battery technology developed at KAIST.

Sources: Journal of Energy Storage and Materials, KAIST Official Website