Recording & Summary MBF Webinar - Performance and Safety Studies of Sodium-ion Commercial and Custom Cells and Modules
This webinar provided a comprehensive overview of performance and safety characteristics of sodium-ion battery cells and modules, based on extensive experimental testing by UL Research Institutes. It brought together research insights and practical testing data to evaluate how sodium-ion technology compares to lithium-ion, and what challenges and considerations must be addressed for safe deployment and future standardization.
Missed it? Here are some key takeaways!
Sodium-ion batteries show promise as a low-cost, abundant alternative to lithium-ion, but currently have lower energy density and performance limitations
Cycle life is significantly lower than lithium-ion, especially at higher charge/discharge rates and for larger-format cells
Operating conditions matter: lower end-of-charge voltages and reduced rates can improve cycle life, while low temperatures increase resistance and reduce performance
Safety behavior varies widely by cell design, with some cells showing good tolerance while others experience venting or thermal runaway under abuse conditions
External heating consistently leads to thermal runaway, with venting temperatures around 138–149°C and peak temperatures reaching up to ~750°C in large cells
Module-level behavior can differ from cell-level results, including cases of thermal runaway propagation at high state of charge
Thermal runaway produces hazardous gases (CO, CO₂, methane, HF, HCl) and respirable particulates, highlighting risks for first responders
Sodium-ion cells generally show slightly lower peak temperatures than some lithium-ion chemistries, but still require robust safety design and handling procedures
Current performance limitations suggest sodium-ion batteries are best suited for stationary energy storage applications rather than high-power uses
Standardization and further testing across chemistries and formats are essential as the technology continues to develop
