Batteries made from common table salt can flourish in freezing temperatures
By swapping rare lithium for abundant table salt, scientists have developed batteries that cost 30% less and maintain steady performance in freezing temperatures where traditional energy storage often fails.
Sodium-ion batteries utilize the same fundamental principles as lithium-ion cells but rely on sodium, an element that makes up 2.6% of the Earth's crust. While lithium-ion batteries struggle in the cold and risk forming dangerous dendrites, sodium-ion systems remain stable and can tolerate wider voltage windows up to 4.5V. This chemistry allows them to operate effectively in freezing environments that would typically drain a standard battery's capacity.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.
Continue Reading in App
1 more paragraphs · plus a 3-question quiz