Research Projects

The project aims to develop stable, sustainable, and scalable sodium-ion battery (SIB) systems competitive with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) to meet the future energy needs. It addresses challenges in cathode scalability through innovations at: (i) Material level: one-pot synthesis of single-crystalline Na-layered oxides via modified Continuous Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR)-based co-precipitation method to facilitate in-situ single-crystalline growth (within the CSTR process), (ii) Electrode level: to create a facility for dry-processed electrode fabrication without toxic solvents and energy-intensive oven-drying process, and (iii) Cell level: assembly of pouch-type sodium-ion full cells based on prepared dry electrodes and comparison with slurry-based cells via Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA), and establish a feedback mechanism linking cell performance to material synthesis and dry electrode fabrication. The first phase involves synthesizing doped single-crystalline Na-layered oxides via a CSTR, enabling continuous, scalable production with precise control over particle size, morphology, stoichiometry, and reproducibility, which is critical for achieving long cycle life and maintaining structural integrity. In the second phase, the synthesized materials will be used to fabricate dry-processed electrodes with high active material loading (~15–20 mg/cm²) through the dry spraying deposition technique. Unlike traditional slurry-based methods, the dry process eliminates the use of toxic solvents (e.g., NMP) and energy-intensive drying, offering improved sustainability and reduced manufacturing complexity. The focus will be on optimizing electrode composition, thickness, mechanical robustness, and electronic/ionic conductivity at high loadings. Finally, the electrochemical performance of the developed cathodes will be evaluated through half-cell (coin cell) and full-cell (pouch cell) testing. Key metrics such as capacity, rate capability, cycle life, thermal and structural stabilities will be assessed under both ambient and elevated conditions. A comparative LCA between the dry and slurry-based electrodes will quantify the environmental benefits, and TEA evaluates the technical feasibility and economic viability of both types of electrodes. This integrated approach aims to advance sustainable electrode manufacturing and enable market-ready sodium-ion battery technologies.