Fast-Charging Sodium-Ion Battery uses Tree-Based Anodes

“One month after Natron Energy launched mass production of its pioneering sodium-ion batteries, Swedish company Altris, in collaboration with Stora Enso, discovered a way to enhance the sustainability of lithium-free batteries by adapting carbon from tree pulp for anodes.”

Lignin, a byproduct of wood pulp production, has been studied extensively for its potential as a sustainable electrode material.

In 2022, Finnish renewable materials firm Stora Enso garnered attention by partnering with Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt to incorporate its proprietary Lignode material into lithium-ion battery anodes. According to Stora Enso, Lignode is a hard carbon material processed from lignin

Stora Enso and Altris Collaborate to Localize the European Battery Supply Chain

Partnering with Altris, Stora Enso aims to enhance sustainability and further localize the European battery supply chain.

As observed with Natron Energy’s recent production start, sodium-ion batteries avoid the use of rare minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel, instead using readily available sodium that can be sourced locally, avoiding the negative impacts of harmful mining

By replacing conventional graphite in anodes with Lignode, a natural byproduct, Altris and Stora Enso aim to reduce dependence on Chinese imports, which account for over 90% of the EU’s graphite supply, thereby strengthening the local EU supply chain. Additionally, Stora Enso claims that Lignode anodes offer quicker charging and discharging rates.

Stora Enso, which describes itself as one of the world’s largest privately owned forest owners, manages and leases over 5 million acres (2 million hectares) of land.

It has been processing wood pulp at its Kotka, Finland mill for more than 80 years and has been extracting lignin on an industrial scale since 2015. The company initiated pilot production of Lignode in 2021 and is now scaling up to commercial production.

A Renewable Resource Paving the Way for Sustainable Battery Technology

However, Stora Enso notes that lignin constitutes 20 to 30 percent of a tree, making it widely available and easily replaceable through sustainable forestry practices. They suggest that the Altris sodium-ion cells, incorporating Lignode, have the potential to become the world’s most sustainable battery.

“Bio-based materials are crucial for enhancing the sustainability of battery cells,” stated Juuso Konttinen, Stora Enso’s senior VP, in a recent joint announcement. “Lignode, which could become the world’s most sustainable anode material, makes this partnership with Altris a perfect fit for our shared goal of promoting more sustainable electrification.”

Prussian White and the Shift Away from Rare Minerals

On the cathode side of the battery cell, Altris utilizes Prussian white, composed of abundant, affordable, and non-conflict materials such as iron, nitrogen, sodium, and carbon. Similar to Natron’s Prussian blue, it avoids rare and problematic minerals like lithium and cobalt.

However, the concept of a sodium battery with a wood pulp-derived anode being the ‘world’s most sustainable’ might seem too good to be true at the moment.

Despite the recent collaboration announcement, Altris has yet to commence commercial production and still identifies itself as a sodium-ion battery developer and prototype manufacturer.

Last year, Altris unveiled a commercial-sized cell boasting an energy density of 160-Wh/kg, comparable to lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries commonly used in electric vehicles today.

This achievement stemmed from a research partnership with Northvolt. Altris CEO Björn Mårlid previously stated the company’s aim to reach 200-Wh/kg in future endeavors.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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