The need for clean energy is rising quickly along with the population and economic growth rates. Currently, the main debate is on lithium-ion battery vs sodium-ion battery as the most sought-after battery technology that is sustainable and efficient source of energy. However, due to their low energy density and capacity, conventional Li-ion batteries are finding it increasingly difficult to meet energy demand.
The battery industry has thus started looking towards the next-generation high-power and high-performance battery systems as the demand for clean and renewable energy sources keeps growing. Advanced energy storage devices such as sulfur-based battery systems with a long cycle life and cheap cost would enable an efficient and cost-effective utilisation of the generated power.
Automotive companies are aggressively working on innovation for electric vehicles, which is promoting the rapid development of battery systems with large power, high energy density, long range, and safety.
Currently, most electric vehicles across the globe are powered by lithium-ion batteries. However, there are some aspects or sectors which are not addressed by the current lithium-ion battery technologies, such as the long-range, low-cost, and high-utilization transportation market. For these applications, an increase in demand for high-capacity energy storage systems such as the sulfur-based battery is anticipated to grow in the future.
The article further sheds light on the development of sulfur-based battery systems such as lithium-sulfur battery and sodium-sulfur battery and their potential to substitute lithium-ion batteries. But first let’s understand what is sulfur-based battery?
What is sulfur-based battery?
Sulfur-based batteries are energy storage systems in which sulfur material is used as the cathode, and materials, such as lithium, sodium, and others, are used as an anode. Types of sulfur-based batteries include lithium sulfur and sodium sulfur.
Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) and sodium-sulfur (Na-S) batteries use a cathode based on sulfur, which is significantly more affordable, abundant, and more sustainable than the typical Li-, Co-, Mn-, and Ni-based cathode materials in lithium-ion batteries (LIB). Besides, the cell systems correlate with high theoretical energy contents because of the high sulfur content and metal anode capacities.
Numerous industries, including stationary energy storage, electric vehicles, aerospace and defence, and consumer electronics, utilise these battery types. NGK Insulators, Ltd. is the main supplier of sodium-sulfur batteries, which have been commercially available up until this point. Lithium-sulfur batteries have not yet been widely made commercially available.
The lithium-sulfur battery is anticipated to be commercially available within the next five years, according to industry professionals, academics, and battery researchers. Additionally, it is anticipated that the key market for lithium-sulfur batteries in the future would be the aerospace and defence sector. Researchers from universities who specialise in batteries have created lithium-sulfur batteries with record-breaking energy densities.
Driven by an increase in investment toward renewable power generation, battery energy storage systems, and EV charging station infrastructure across the globe, the global sulfur-based battery market is expected to grow significantly.
According to the BIS Research market report, the global sulfur-based battery market was valued at $517.4 million in 2021, which is expected to grow with a CAGR of 17.69% and reach $2.66 billion by 2031.
Lithium-Ion Battery vs Lithium-Sulfur Battery
Since the last decade, lithium-ion batteries have dominated the battery market as the main energy storage system in a variety of applications, including consumer electronics, stationary applications, stationary energy storage, and transportation applications. The energy density of lithium-ion batteries is also being improved through research and development to suit the rising demand for high-range electric vehicles in the years ahead.
However, there are several drawbacks to lithium-ion batteries, including issues with the nickel, cobalt, and lithium supply chains, low global reserves, expensive raw material and extraction prices, and others. Sulfur-based batteries, which theoretically have a higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries, can be developed and used to solve these issues.
Due to its ability to affordably and reversibly store large amounts of electrical energy, the lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery has shown promise. Numerous R&D initiatives are being reported by different participants in the development of lithium-sulfur batteries, and many of them have produced Li-S batteries with higher energy densities than lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-sulfur batteries have some drawbacks, such as a short cycle life, lower efficiency, and the production of sulphides during charging and discharging cycles.
Researchers and organizations are working to create sulphur composite cathodes, such as sulfur-carbon and sulfur-polymer composites, to solve the issues with sulphides in the Li-S battery chemistry. For instance, major players in the industry, including LG Energy Solution, Li-S Energy, Zeta Energy, and others, are developing and marketing lithium-sulfur batteries for use in a variety of products, such as drones, electric vehicles, passenger aircraft, and energy storage systems.
Therefore, it is projected that throughout the projection period, increased investment in lithium-sulfur battery R&D will drive the market for sulfur-based batteries.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this sodium-sulfur battery is a great replacement for current lithium chemistries in many applications since it delivers high capacity at a reasonable cost compared to lithium-ion batteries and is less hazardous. In order to make their batteries a commercial reality, the researchers are now concentrating on scaling it up to larger formats and looking for partners.
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