Chinese scientists achieve safety breakthrough in sodium-ion batteries with self-protective electrolyte

BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) — Chinese scientists have developed a polymerizable non-flammable electrolyte (PNE) with self-protective capabilities, fundamentally addressing the core safety bottleneck of new energy batteries and accelerating the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries.

The achievement, made by the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was published on Monday in the journal Nature Energy, as reported by Science and Technology Daily.

Notably, when the battery temperature abnormally rises above 150 degrees Celsius, the PNE automatically transitions from a liquid to a solid state, forming a dense barrier. This acts like a “smart firewall” inside the battery, completely blocking the propagation path of thermal runaway.

The sodium-ion battery has successfully passed both needle penetration tests and 300 degrees Celsius hot-box tests, demonstrating exceptional safety and reliability.

Importantly, this breakthrough in safety does not compromise electrochemical performance. According to the institute, the battery offers a wide temperature adaptability ranging from minus 40 degrees Celsius to 60 degrees Celsius, along with high-voltage resistance exceeding 4.3 volts, achieving both high safety and high energy density.

Furthermore, all raw materials used in this electrolyte system are conventional industrial products, making the cost manageable and large-scale production feasible. This gives the technology significant value for industrial applications. This technology is expected to provide a brand-new solution for high-energy-density, high-safety batteries.