Bengaluru Scientists Develop Superfast, Durable Sodium-Ion Battery as Alternative to Lithium
Bengaluru, May 20 — In a breakthrough that could reshape the future of energy storage in India, researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) have developed a superfast-charging sodium-ion battery (SIB) that could offer a cost-effective, safer alternative to lithium-based batteries. The new battery, developed by a team led by Prof. Premkumar Senguttuvan and Ph.D. scholar Biplab Patra , can charge up to 80% in just six minutes and has a lifespan of over 3,000 charge cycles —a leap over conventional sodium-ion batteries, which have been plagued by slow charging and poor durability. The key to the innovation lies in the battery's anode material , a specially engineered NASICON-type compound —Na₁.₀V₀.₂₅Al₀.₂₅Nb₁.₅(PO₄)₃. The research team enhanced the anode's performance by shrinking the particles to nanoscale , coating them in carbon , and adding aluminium to improve conductivity and structural stability. These tweaks dramatically acc...