Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
10:03
Characterization of Electrode Materials for Lithium Ion and Sodium Ion Batteries Using Synchrotron Radiation Techniques
Published on: November 11, 2013
A rechargeable room-temperature sodium superoxide (NaO2) battery
Pascal Hartmann1, Conrad L Bender, Miloš Vračar
1Physikalisch-Chemisches Institut, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany.
Nature Materials
|December 4, 2012
Summary
Sodium-oxygen batteries offer a promising alternative to lithium-oxygen systems, demonstrating reversible cycling with low overpotentials. This research highlights sodium as a viable element for advanced rechargeable metal-air batteries.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Rechargeable metal-air batteries, particularly lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) cells, are attractive for high energy density storage.
- However, Li-O2 cells face challenges including large overpotentials and irreversible electrolyte decomposition.
- Existing research primarily focuses on aprotic Li-O2 systems with carbonate electrolytes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of sodium-oxygen (Na-O2) cells as a rechargeable metal-air battery system.
- To evaluate the cycling performance and overpotentials of Na-O2 cells.
- To explore alternative metal-air chemistries beyond lithium.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication and testing of a sodium-oxygen (Na-O2) cell.
- Utilized a pure carbon cathode without additional catalysts.
- Characterized the discharge product formed during the one-electron transfer step.
Main Results:
- Achieved reversible discharge/charge cycling in the Na-O2 cell.
- Observed very low overpotentials (< 200 mV) at practical current densities (0.2 mA cm(-2)).
- Identified crystalline sodium superoxide (NaO2) as the solid discharge product.
Conclusions:
- Na-O2 cells demonstrate efficient and reversible operation with low energy loss.
- The substitution of lithium with sodium presents a viable and potentially superior route for rechargeable metal-air batteries.
- This study opens new avenues for developing next-generation energy storage solutions.
Related Concept Videos
03:12Batteries and Fuel Cells
A battery is a galvanic cell that is used as a source of electrical power for specific applications. Modern batteries exist in a multitude of forms to accommodate various applications, from tiny button batteries such as those that power wristwatches to the very large batteries used to supply backup energy to municipal power grids. Some batteries are designed for single-use applications and cannot be recharged (primary cells), while others are based on conveniently reversible cell reactions that...
02:47Voltaic/Galvanic Cells
Spontaneous Chemical Reactions
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...
03:00Electrolysis
In a galvanic cell, the electrical work is done by a redox system on its surroundings as electrons produced by the spontaneous redox reactions are transferred through an external circuit. Alternatively, an external circuit does work on a redox system by imposing a voltage sufficient to drive an otherwise nonspontaneous reaction in a process known as electrolysis. For instance, recharging a battery involves the use of an external power source to drive the spontaneous (discharge) cell reaction in...
03:11Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
Oxidation–Reduction Reactions
01:24Redox Reactions
Oxidation-reduction or redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one molecule or atom to another. When an atom gains an electron, another atom must lose an electron, meaning oxidation and reduction must occur together. Since the redox occurs in pairs, the atom that gets oxidized is also called the reducing agent or reductant, and the atom that is reduced is also called the oxidizing agent or oxidant. A straightforward way to remember the definitions of oxidation and reduction is...
01:28Electrochemical Cells
Electrochemical cells are systems that convert chemical energy into electrical energy or use electrical energy to drive chemical reactions. They consist of two electrodes in contact with an electrolyte, where redox reactions enable electron transfer. Most electrochemical cells include two half-cells connected by an external wire for electron flow and a salt bridge for ion flow. The salt bridge contains an electrolyte solution and maintains charge neutrality by allowing ions—not electrons—to...