PNNL has redesigned the sodium-nickel chloride battery into flat disc or planar, which ends up giving the battery 30 percent more power without any excess heat. Because the batteries are composed of alumina, sodium chloride and nickel, they are easier and cheaper, compared to the prices of lithium-ion, to manufacture. The sodium-beta alumina batteries could be used to integrate solar and wind power more effectively into the electrical system to balance the grid more safely. The redesign to a flat battery cuts down on the resistance a tubular shaped battery has when the sodium ion travels back and forth between the anode and the cathode while using the battery. With a wider surface area for the ion’s to travel the battery produces less heat and in turn is more stable than lithium-ion batteries which can catch fire, known as thermal runaway. "Our goal is to get a safer, more affordable battery into the market for energy storage. This development in battery technology gets us one step closer," said Xiaochuan Lu, a scientist at PNNL.
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