Are emerging battery chemistries a suitable alternative to lithium-ion?

The figure below shows the progress and evolution of chemistry development over the past 20+ years.

The Volta Foundation's 2023 Battery Report. The diagram shows the timeline for new cell chemistry development from 2000-2023. (Source: The Volta Foundation)

There are four emerging chemistries that show the most promise today:

• Silicon anode: After years of incremental improvement, silicon is now a mainstay anode material in batteries in both consumer electronics and automotive sectors. It has a theoretical capacity 10 times larger than that of graphite but has poor lifespan due to the large volume expansion of over 300% during lithiation. Regardless of the cycle life issues, silicon has been gaining popularity since 2022, due to the 20–40% energy density boost it provides, in addition to its abundancy and lower carbon footprint. The market size is expected to grow from $2 billion by 100 times from now to 2035.
  
  
• High-nickel cathodes: For cathodes, high-nickel layer oxide is sought after for enhancing energy density towards 800 Wh/kg, coupled with the incentive to reduce cost and the controversial mining of cobalt. The common compositions are NCM-811 (LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂) and NMC (LiNi_0.8 Co_0.15Al_0.05O₂). The disadvantage is the trade-off in rate capability because of lowered cathode structural stability with reduced cobalt content. Nowadays both high-nickel compositions are largely deployed in the automotive industry.
  
  
• Solid-state batteries: The solid-state battery was first commercialised in 2015, and since then faced both excitement and scepticism in its development. This is sometimes referred to as a lithium metal battery because replacing the liquid electrolyte with a ceramic or solid polymer allows the lithium metal to accumulate directly on the anode. 
  
  The huge energy-density increase solid-state batteries deliver is the main driver to launch this chemistry, for higher range and longer runtime. The reduced risk of a battery fire due to the absence flammable liquid electrolyte in the event of mechanical damage is another bonus. The technology challenge remains at the interfaces between the anode and the solid electrolyte, where dendrite formation, poor contact and cracking can lead to battery failure. Toyota in 2023 announced mass production of solid-state batteries by 2027/28 with sulphide-based electrolytes while some other major players continue to be wary of the long development time and high production cost.
  
  
• Sodium-ion batteries: Sodium, as an alternative to lithium, has the advantage of being naturally abundant, with a sustainable supply available from seawater. In 2023, CATL announced the first sodium-ion battery to power Chery EV, with Prussian white cathode and hard carbon anode. Despite the issue of low energy density, many large manufacturers like BYD and Northvolt have followed the pursuit of full-scale production of sodium-ion batteries because of the 30% reduction in cost compared to lithium-ion batteries.
  
  
• Hybrid pack design: With the availability of multiple battery chemistries in the market also comes hybrid pack design. The hybrid approach mixes cells of different chemistries in a pack. For example, CATL and BYD used a hybrid of sodium-ion and lithium-ion batteries when adopting sodium-ion technology in mass-production vehicles to mitigate the range deficit. NIO also launched its 75 kWh hybrid-cell battery with both NMC and LFP to improve cold temperature range. However, the hybrid trend demands additional technology to provide accurate state estimation and precise control algorithms for ensuring both performance and safety.

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