Batteries 

There is a global consensus that with the continual growth of the world population, the demand for energy is steadily increasing. Energy consumption can broadly be categorized into three main sectors: industrial, domestic, and transportation. For the past century, fossil fuels have served as the primary source of energy. However, the combustion of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, which significantly contribute to global environmental degradation and the disruption of ecosystems. Scientists widely agree that the greenhouse effect poses a severe threat to the future survival of the human race. Consequently, there is a strong international movement advocating for the transition to renewable energy sources.

One of the key challenges with renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power is their intermittency; energy generation is dependent on the availability of sunlight and wind. When these natural conditions are absent, energy production ceases. Therefore, effective energy storage solutions are essential to capture and store energy during periods of availability for later use. Among the most viable technologies for this purpose are ion batteries.

Ion batteries have been the focus of extensive research and commercial interest for the past three decades. They are regarded as safe and reliable, and are widely utilized in small-scale applications such as mobile phones, laptops, and solar power backup systems. In recent years, the rapid expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) market, which heavily relies on lithium-ion batteries, has driven up global lithium demand and, consequently, lithium prices. This surge has encouraged commercial sectors to explore alternative materials, with sodium-ion batteries emerging as a promising substitute.

Researchers are actively striving to enhance the performance of sodium-ion batteries to match or exceed that of lithium-ion batteries for widespread commercial use. Our research group is dedicated to the development of sustainable sodium-ion battery technologies. We have structured our research activities as follows:

• Development of cathode materials based around sodium iron phosphate chemistry

• Synthesis of carbon based anode materials

• Assembly of coin cells/ Swagelok type cells 

• Solid State Electrolytes

• Material characterization, battery testing, and electrochemical studies

• Development of pouch cells and battery packs

• Design and implementation of battery management systems (BMS)

• (More points will be added, once we achieve the above)
  
  

Our ultimate goal is to develop sustainable solid-state sodium-ion batteries, contributing to the advancement of environmentally friendly and commercially viable energy storage solutions.