Dec. 10th news, According to today's report from the Guanggu Media Center, Wuhan Lisheng Qiangna New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (abbreviated as "Qiangna New Energy") has developed "sodium battery cathode materials mixed with manganese." This technology has moved from the academic stage to production, and a 1,000-ton production line will be established next year.
Sodium batteries and lithium batteries operate on similar principles and structures, both consisting of positive and negative electrodes, separators, and electrolytes. They store and release electrical energy by relying on the movement of sodium and lithium ions between the battery's positive and negative electrodes, respectively. Compared to lithium batteries, sodium batteries have a lower energy density but offer better safety and cold-temperature performance.
Dr. Hu Ping, General Manager of Qiangna New Energy, introduced that manganese is a crucial element in the main cathode route of sodium batteries, which can make sodium batteries safer, longer-lasting, and especially reduce battery costs further. However, it is easily oxidized during the processing, leading to a decrease in material activity. How to stably incorporate manganese into sodium batteries has become a technical challenge.
To overcome this challenge, the Hu Ping team, after thousands of attempts, achieved stable application of manganese-based materials in sodium batteries in 2022, completing kilogram-scale research and sample delivery.
"Adding manganese to the cathode material of sodium batteries can reduce the cost by 30% per ton," said Hu Ping. "Around this research achievement, the team has published more than 20 papers."
In 2023, Qiangna New Energy was established in the Optics Valley of Wuhan, Hubei, propelling research findings from the lab to pilot production lines. The company has completed kilogram-scale development and preparation of multiple products, and their materials have been verified by several downstream enterprises. Qiangna New Energy plans to establish a kiloton production line with their research findings next year.
