Positive results in sodium-ion battery materials project

Sparc Technologies Limited (Sparc) has announced a significant milestone in its collaboration with Queensland University of Technology (QUT) targeting development of sustainably sourced hard carbon anode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs).

QUT has delivered a second project milestone report that primarily describes the results of SIB half-cell battery testing and material characterisation for multiple samples of the chosen biowaste material against a commercial benchmark. Electrochemical testing confirms consistently high reversible capacities and ongoing improvements in initial coulombic efficiencies (ICE) for the biowaste-derived anodes using the new processing method under development. These results have been benchmarked against commercial hard carbon materials under the same testing procedure.

Improving the capacity of hard carbon anodes is considered to be important for increasing the overall energy density of sodium-ion batteries, which is currently a key limitation to widespread use in mobility applications such as electric vehicles. Given the continuation of positive capacity results, Sparc is planning to accelerate its research and development in this area targeting further optimisation of process parameters and testing to demonstrate a broader suite of battery characteristics. Sparc is also in the process of completing a techno-economic analysis and is conducting testing of the hard carbon materials at an external laboratory.

“Sparc is extremely pleased with these results from its research with QUT into the development of sustainable hard carbon anode materials for sodium ion batteries,” said Sparc Executive Chairman Stephen Hunt. “The feedstock and process is demonstrating high-capacity anode material which, subject to further testing and results, holds the potential to improve the energy density and carbon footprint of sodium-ion batteries.

“Sparc continues to see momentum building behind sodium-ion batteries as an alternative battery chemistry, driven by raw material availability and cost, and we remain well positioned as one of the only ASX listed companies actively targeting this growing field.”

Image credit: Sparc Technologies