August 9, 2026 | “Small Change to Battery Liquid Helps Sodium-Ion Batteries Last Much Longer”

A team of researchers led by the Department of Applied Physical Science at UNC-Chapel Hill has found that a small change to the liquid inside a sodium-ion battery can help protect it from rapid degradation and extend its life, particularly at higher temperatures and voltages, according to a study published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A. The advance could help make sodium-ion batteries a more practical alternative for electric vehicles, renewable-energy storage and power-hungry data centers. 

The researchers changed one ingredient in the battery’s liquid electrolyte, replacing a standard chemical with a similar version that contains fluorine, along with a small amount of another fluorine-based additive. That seemingly minor change altered the chemical reactions inside the battery, causing a thin uniform layer of sodium fluoride to form on the surface of the battery’s positive electrode. Shipitsyn said this layer acts like a protective shield, helping prevent damaging chemical reactions that would otherwise reduce the battery’s performance and shorten its lifespan. 

Read the story on the APS website: click here 

by Dave DeFusco