Most of the rechargeable batteries used in today’s technology, from electric cars to the phones in our pockets, are lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. Since its inception in the early 1990s, Li-ion battery technology has been widely adopted for its high energy density, lightweight construction and ability to provide high voltage on demand for gadgets and vehicles alike.
But scientists are working on a new contender that threatens to relegate Li-ion to the past — at least in specific applications. Sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries (sometimes called NIBs as an abbreviation of Na-ion battery) are an emerging battery technology that stores charged sodium ions in batteries’ electrodes, rather than lithium ions as in Li-ion batteries.
