钠离子电池:从基础研究到工程化探索

Na-ion batteries:From fundamental research to engineering exploration

近年来,对低成本储能技术日益增长的需求促使越来越多的科研人员和工程师加入到钠离子电池基础研究和工程化探索的事业中来,钠离子电池以可观的速度在近10年内快速成长。本文首先分析了全球锂资源形势,尤其是我国锂资源存在的潜在风险;随后回顾了钠离子电池的前世今生,并着重介绍了近些年全球钠离子电池的产业化现状。根据本领域最新的研究进展,提炼出了钠离子电池在成本、性能等方面的7大优势,这些优势使钠离子电池具有巨大的发展潜力。最后重点介绍了本研究团队在铜基层状氧化物正极和无定形碳负极等低成本电极材料研发及其工程化放大,以及钠离子电池研制和示范应用方面的工作。钠离子电池的成功示范证明了其实际应用的可行性。通过对电极材料、电解液、制造和成组工艺以及电池管理等方面进行优化,有望进一步提升钠离子电池的综合性能,尽快实现在低速电动车、数据中心后备电源、通讯基站、家庭/工业储能、大规模储能等领域的应用。

With the increasing demand for low-cost energy storage systems,more and more researchers and engineers have been involved in the fundamental research and engineering exploration of Na-ion batteries(NIBs),which grew rapidly in the past decade.This article firstly analyzes the situation of global lithium resource,especially the potential risks in China.Then we review the history of NIBs and introduce their global industrialization status in recent years.According to the latest research progress in this field,we summarize seven advantages of NIBs in terms of cost,performance,etc.,which endows NIBs with huge development potential.Finally,we focus on introducing our work on the development and mass production of low-cost electrode materials such as copper-based layered oxide cathodes and disordered carbon anodes,as well as the application demonstration and engineering scale-up of NIBs.The successful demonstration of Ah-grade cells and battery packs for NIBs has initially proved their feasibility.By optimizing electrode materials,electrolytes,manufacturing and integration,and battery management,it is expected to further improve the comprehensive performance of NIBs,and realize the practical applications in low-speed electric vehicles,data center backup power supplies,communication base stations,household/industrial energy storage systems,and large-scale energy storage.