November 8, 2024, USA – Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are advancing battery technology aimed at long-term storage solutions for intermittent wind and solar energy.
The ORNL team has designed a new battery featuring sodium ions traveling through a durable solid electrolyte with enhanced conductivity. This design seeks to improve the reliability of renewable energy sources for the power grid.
Solid electrolytes represent a significant evolution in battery technology, but challenges remain in understanding failure mechanisms under high demand conditions. Researchers operated the battery at elevated currents and voltages using a powerful X-ray beam at the Argonne National Laboratory's Advanced Photon Source.
Observations revealed that sodium ions accumulated in the electrolyte's pores, leading to structures that could cause short circuits. Mengya Li, an ORNL researcher, stated, “We can use this information to enhance this promising solid electrolyte material for longer renewable energy storage.”