Comparison Between Sodium-ion Batteries And Lithium-ion Batteries

Comparison Between Sodium-ion Batteries And Lithium-ion Batteries

Sodium-ion batteries and lithium-ion batteries are two main rechargeable battery technologies that are similar in many aspects, but there are also some significant differences. The Mobis research team provided in-depth discussions on which sodium ion battery or lithium-ion battery has more advantages by analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of these two battery technologies.

1. Charging speed

In contrast, sodium ion batteries can charge faster because they have higher conductivity. The electrolyte used in sodium ion batteries can operate at higher conductivity, allowing for faster charge transfer from one polarity to another.

However, due to the lower voltage of sodium ion batteries compared to lithium-ion batteries, this means that more charge is needed to fully charge them. Therefore, from a practical perspective, the time required to fully charge a set of sodium ion batteries may be equivalent to the time required to fully charge a set of lithium-ion batteries.

2. Energy density

In terms of energy density, lithium-ion batteries are superior to sodium ion batteries. The energy density of sodium ion batteries is much lower than that of lithium-ion batteries because the radius of sodium ions is much larger than that of lithium ions.

This means that lithium-ion batteries can store more energy under the same volume and weight. Therefore, lithium-ion batteries are more popular in small electronic devices such as smartphones and laptops, as they require high energy density batteries.

3. Price

Although the costs of both sodium ion and lithium-ion batteries are decreasing, the cost of lithium-ion batteries is still lower than that of sodium ion batteries. This is because lithium-ion batteries have been widely used, while sodium ion batteries, although constantly developing, have not yet been widely used.

In addition, because sodium ion batteries require more materials and manufacturing processes, their costs are also higher.

4. Renewableity

Sodium ion batteries can use a wider range of materials, which means they may be more sustainable than lithium-ion batteries. For example, sodium resources are more abundant than lithium resources and can be obtained in various situations. However, lithium resources are relatively scarce and often require extraction through unsustainable methods.

In addition, sodium ion batteries perform better in high-temperature environments. Lithium ion batteries are prone to overheating at high temperatures and may even cause explosions.

5. Security

Due to the higher energy density of sodium ion batteries, they require more careful handling and operation. In some cases, high temperatures or excessive discharge may cause sodium ion batteries to explode.

In contrast, lithium-ion batteries have higher safety. The isolation between different parts of lithium-ion batteries is better, so they are safer than sodium ion batteries.