In a statement, Northvolt says its validated cell is more safe, cost-effective, and sustainable than conventional nickel, manganese and cobalt (NMC) or iron phosphate (LFP) chemistries and is produced with minerals such as iron and sodium that are abundant on global markets.

It is based on a hard carbon anode and a Prussian White-based cathode, and is free from lithium, nickel, cobalt and graphite. Leveraging a breakthrough in battery design and manufacturing, Northvolt plans to be the first to industrialize Prussian White-based batteries and bring them to commercial markets.

Reports across the web also say the technology enables the supply chain to become ecologically more sustainable, cheaper, abd less dependent on China.

  • IndefiniteBen
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    1 year ago

    This isn’t some futuristic technology. Na-ion was originally researched at the same time as Li-ion but didn’t show enough commercial promise in the 1990s.

    Sodium-ion batteries have already been deployed in a few locations. The energy density is only 160 Wh/kg (compared to 100-220 for Li-ion) so you won’t see it in personal devices, but for applications where space isn’t at a premium, this technology is already in market.

    Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium-ion_battery

      • crispy_kilt@feddit.de
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        1 year ago

        Technically correct (best kind) but in reality, to get the same capacity, you’ll need more mass, which uses more space as well.

        • taladar@feddit.de
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          1 year ago

          Well, it is a big difference when we are talking about applications like air or space travel where space might be a lot easier to increase than the capacity to carry extra mass.

      • IndefiniteBen
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        1 year ago

        I did, thanks. It was early and my brain focused on “density” and forgot the word before it.

        I’d guess the energy density per litre is also worse, but those aren’t the numbers I used!