Microwave principle makes 'salt battery' without risk of explosion

[Anchor]
Recently, as concerns about lithium batteries increase due to electric vehicle fires and lithium battery factories, concerns about lithium alternatives are also deepening.

Korean researchers are raising expectations by developing a technology that can accelerate the commercialization of sodium ion batteries, one of the next-generation secondary batteries.

Reporter Lim Null-sol reports.

[Reporter]
In June, smoke rose from inside the factory that produces lithium batteries, and flames soared in an instant.

It tries to evolve into a fire extinguisher, but with an explosion, smoke fills the interior of the factory.

Recently, lithium batteries are recognized as the main culprit of the fire due to a series of fires in lithium batteries and electric vehicles.It is urgent to develop a cheap and stable alternative to

Lithium, and sodium, the main component of salt, is attracting attention.

Accordingly, domestic researchers have developed a technology that can quickly make hard carbon cathode materials required for next-generation secondary batteries, sodium ion batteries.

Sodium is easy to obtain because it has more than 1,000 times more reserves than lithium, and it can maintain performance at up to minus 20 degrees Celsius to 90% or more without a low risk of fire.

[Ryu Kyung-beom / Student researcher at Nano Convergence Research Center, Korea Electric Research Institute: Sodium ion batteries are less reactive than lithium, so they have good electrochemical performance inside batteries, are advantageous for high-speed charging and discharging, and are maintained at low temperatures.]

Until now, commercialization of 'sodium ion batteries' has been difficult because existing cathode materials cannot be used and 'hard carbon', a cathode material for sodium ion batteries, is required.

The problem is that in order to make hard carbon, hydrocarbon materials must be burned at a high temperature of more than 1,000 degrees for a long time, making the process difficult and expensive.

To overcome this, the research team used microwave induction heating technology.

As if turning the material in a microwave oven, it was heated at a high speed of more than 1,400 degrees in 30 seconds to make hard carbon quickly.

[Kim Dae-ho / Dr. Nanoconvergence Research Center, Korea Electric Research Institute: (This technology) is a new technology that can selectively heat conductive materials at a high speed, unlike conventional microwave technology.]

The research team explained that it used a 'multiphysical simulation' that calculates electromagnetic induction by microwaves and induced currents with a computer at once.

In addition, we plan to accelerate the commercialization of sodium ion batteries by continuing additional research to improve the performance of hard carbon and mass production.

I'm YTN Science Lim Neul-sol.

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video: Kim Young-hwan