Non Lithium Battery Alternatives

Lithium batteries have helped power society&#;s shift to renewable energy, serving as the industry standard for everything from electric vehicles to grid-scale energy storage. scientists are continually looking for sustainable non lithium battery alternatives because lithium-ion batteries come with safety risks and environmental consequences in their production.

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Lithium batteries are the most widely used rechargeable batteries in today&#;s technology. They power devices ranging from smartphones to electric cars. These batteries are composed of individual lithium-ion cells and a protective circuit board. The history of lithium-ion battery technology dates back to the s when researchers began exploring the potential of lithium as a battery material due to its low electrochemical potential. In the s, Sony introduced the first commercial lithium-ion batteries using lithium cobalt oxide as the cathode material. Over the years, scientists have developed different cathode materials like lithium iron phosphate (LFP / LiFePO4) and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) to improve the safety, stability, and energy density of Li-ion batteries. Researchers continue to explore new materials and technologies to enhance the performance of battery technology, aiming to increase energy storage capacity and reduce costs.

Here is a look at the challenges of lithium-ion, or Li-ion, and how emerging battery technologies strive to be safer and lower-cost alternatives to lithium batteries, while still balancing performance, cost, and environmental impact.

What Are Non Lithium Battery Alternatives?

As demand for sustainable and efficient energy storage solutions rises, researchers and engineers are exploring lithium alternatives. New promising emerging battery technologies include aqueous metal oxide batteries, solid-state lithium batteries, sodium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, and flow batteries. These innovative approaches aim to enhance energy density, improve safety, reduce environmental impact, and lower costs, ultimately shaping the future of battery energy storage systems and electric vehicles.

Aqueous Metal Oxide Batteries

Alsym aqueous batteries are a non-toxic alternative to lithium-ion that completely avoids lithium and cobalt and uses water as the primary solvent in the electrolyte and in the manufacturing of the electrodes. Using readily available, inherently non-flammable materials including manganese and other metal oxides, Alsym batteries offer high performance at lower cost and risk than Li-ion.

Solid-State Lithium Batteries

Instead of a flammable liquid electrolyte, solid-state batteries use a solid electrolyte to reduce the risk of fires caused by thermal runaway. Solid-state batteries can potentially pack more energy into a smaller space, making them useful for applications like EVs where more energy translates to more miles per charge.

Solid-state batteries may also exhibit better cycling stability, which is the ability of a battery to maintain its performance and capacity over repeated discharge cycles without significant degradation. They can also operate over a wider temperature range, making them more suitable for extreme environments.

Despite recent advancements in solid-state technology, scientists are still trying to find an electrolyte that simultaneously offers high conductivity, stability, and low manufacturing costs. The most promising solid-state battery chemistries have been difficult to scale up for mass production at an affordable price point, and developers need a cost-effective means of manufacturing the batteries before they can be used commercially.

While solid-state batteries may be safer when it comes to thermal runaway imposed by normal operation, researchers at Sandia National Labs have concluded that they could pose similar risks as traditional lithium-ion batteries when punctured or crushed.

Sodium-Ion Batteries

Sodium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries that operate similarly to lithium-ion batteries, but use sodium ions (Na+) instead of lithium ions (Li+). The cathode is often made of materials like sodium cobaltate or copper hexacyanoferrate. The anode can be made of materials like hard carbon, soft carbon, or titanium-based compounds.

Sodium-ion batteries are considered a potential solution to the scarcity and cost associated with lithium resources. The technology can be manufactured using existing infrastructure and equipment designed for Li-ion batteries, making it easier to scale up production and integrate sodium-ion batteries into existing energy storage systems. They are also reported to have a lower risk of thermal runaway and a lower environmental impact in the manufacturing process.

Unfortunately, sodium-ion batteries generally have lower energy density than Li-ion batteries and currently have trouble maintaining stable performance over repeated charge and discharge cycles. They typically have longer charging times compared to Li-ion batteries, which can limit their suitability for applications that require fast charging. And because the technology is still in the early stages of commercialization, it will be a while before they are widely available. Sodium metal, like lithium metal, is also highly reactive and flammable and most Na-ion batteries also require a flammable organic electrolyte. Though Na-ion cells may be less energetic than Li-ion, they still pose a significant safety risk.

Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Some companies are looking into lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries as a sustainable alternative to Li-ion. Rather than relying on scarce materials like cobalt, Li-S batteries would benefit from the wider availability of sulfur, making them less dependent on limited resources and cheaper to produce. Li-S batteries also have a theoretical energy density several times higher than that of lithium-ion batteries, storing an equal amount of energy in a more lightweight form.

However, Li-S batteries tend to degrade more rapidly due to poor cycling stability. Sulfur does not have high electrical conductivity to begin with. It also undergoes significant volume expansion and contraction during charge and discharge, resulting in the dissolution of active material and a loss of charge capacity. Additionally, the chemical reaction between sulfur and lithium results in the formation of compounds that reduce Li-S batteries&#; efficiency over time.

Further, lithium metal supplants the graphite anode in Li-S batteries. Li metal anodes have a host of other issues associated with dendritic plating, excessive Li consumption in the formation of SEI, and an increased risk of thermal runaway from shorting.

Flow Batteries

Flow batteries, also known as redox flow batteries, are a type of rechargeable battery where energy is stored in liquid electrolyte solutions that are kept in external tanks, as opposed to conventional batteries where the energy is stored by electrodes within the battery cell itself.

Flow batteries consist of two separate tanks of liquid electrolyte solutions. The electrolytes are pumped from these tanks into a cell where they are separated by a membrane. One electrolyte acts as the cathode and the other as the anode. The electrochemical reactions take place in the cell. During the discharge phase (i.e., when energy is being supplied for an external device), electrons are transferred from the anode to the cathode, creating an electric current that oxidizes and reduces the electroactive species in the electrolyte on the respective sides of the cell. During charge, the electroactive species in the anolyte (anode side of the membrane) decreases oxidation state while that of the catholyte (cathode side) increases oxidation state. During the charging phase, an external power source is used to reverse this reaction, replenishing the electrolytes.

Flow batteries have a very long cycle life and minimal degradation over time because the energy is stored in the electrolyte rather than in the battery cell itself. Another advantage of flow batteries is that they can be left completely discharged for long periods without suffering any damage, which is not the case with many other types of batteries. They also have a quick response time.

Flow batteries have some downsides as well. Their energy density is significantly lower than lithium-ion batteries, meaning they take up more space for the same amount of energy stored. This makes them unsuitable for portable applications, or situations where grid storage is needed in urban or suburban areas. They can also be complex and expensive to manufacture and maintain, as the system involves pumps, sensors, and control units to manage the flow of the electrolyte.

Negative Effects of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Even though they are promoted as a way to mitigate climate change, lithium-ion batteries cause damage to the environment during their manufacturing. For instance, every ton of lithium extracted through hard-rock mining results in 15 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, the technology uses a narrow set of raw materials &#; lithium, cobalt, and nickel, among others &#; controlled by a handful of countries in South America, Asia, and Africa.

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This far-flung supply chain not only leads to high transportation costs but also results in a number of environmental and ethical issues:

&#; Lithium mining has been associated with accelerating drought and displacing Indigenous populations in countries ranging from Chile to Serbia.
&#; Most of the world&#;s lithium refining facilities are in China, which is notorious for its abundant use of heavily polluting coal.
&#; Cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo is known for exploiting child labor, displacing residents, and damaging the environment.
&#; Nickel mining in Indonesia has contributed to deforestation, soil erosion, and water pollution.

Lithium-ion batteries also pose significant safety risks. Their organic electrolytes have flash points as low as 60 degrees Celsius, and improper use can cause them to overheat. Before a battery cell in thermal runaway actually catches flame, it vents flammable gases such as hydrogen fluoride and carbon monoxide. These toxic vapors can cause an explosion when they ignite, making Li-ion battery fires especially dangerous, even &#;safer&#; chemistries like LFP / LiFePO4.

Alsym&#;s Non Lithium Battery Alternative

Alsym&#;s non lithium alternative batteries can be manufactured in the same facilities but at a lower cost than lithium-ion batteries, allowing us to take advantage of existing infrastructure and industry knowledge. While other battery technologies must be produced in costly dry rooms and clean rooms and use toxic solvents that require recovery systems, our batteries can be built with less complexity and increased safety.

We&#;re working to make low-cost, non-flammable batteries available to all. Contact us to find out more about the future of large-scale battery storage technology.

In recent years, the global demand for batteries has significantly increased. This demand is driven by incorporating energy storage in the power sector, expanding solar and wind power use, and rising interest in electric vehicles globally. Governmental investments and new regulations worldwide support this development and the rise of clean energy.

The lithium-ion battery (LIB) industry has grown notably in the past five years, with a marked increase in the installed capacity of LIBs for energy storage applications. This expansion is attributed to lithium batteries&#; superior energy density and cycle life, advancements in battery chemistry, and manufacturing processes that have significantly reduced average battery costs.

With the global transition to greener energy accelerating, the need for increased battery capacity and efficient, safe, and sustainable battery technology has become more critical. However, battery development and manufacturing have a substantial environmental footprint today. The intensive sourcing/ mining, shipping, and disposal of the chemicals used in production contribute significantly to the negative climate impact.

Complex manufacturing processes and the chemical supply chains involved in battery development have an increased environmental impact. Because of governmental efforts worldwide to promote cleaner energy solutions, requirements tighten and call for &#;greener,&#; environmentally friendlier options for chemical raw materials and a more sustainable supply chain in battery development and production. In addition, the increasing demand for batteries has highlighted risks associated with the battery supply chain. These include supply chain dependencies and the need for battery recycling. There is a growing focus on diversifying battery chemistries and technology to mitigate these risks, optimize energy storage capacities, and improve overall sustainability. 

Alternative raw materials driving sustainability and availability in battery development
Metals like cobalt, nickel, copper, lithium, and rare earth minerals are commonly known as &#;critical materials,&#; meaning they are essential to current technology development and production processes. They also have a high risk of supply chain disruption due to their raw materials&#; natural occurrence being highly geographically concentrated and thus prone to be affected by regulatory changes, trade restrictions, or political instability. Consequently, one of the most critical aspects of driving higher sustainability and supply chain resilience in battery R&D is the selection of raw materials to produce cathode and anode active materials.

Various alternative battery chemistries, including lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries, sodium-ion batteries (SIBs), and solid-state batteries (SSBs), are being researched as more sustainable and cost-effective storage solutions that improve supply chain constraints.

Lithium-iron-phosphate cathodes are already widely used in LIBs. One of the significant advantages of LFP batteries is their sustainable and stable chemical footprint, as they do not contain nickel or cobalt. This makes LFP batteries more environmentally friendly than nickel and cadmium-rich cathode chemistries. LFP batteries are less flammable and have a longer cycle life, enhancing their safety and durability. From an environmental and sustainability standpoint, LFP batteries benefit from the high availability of iron and phosphate resources, making them a more accessible, cost-effective option compared to other nickel-or cobalt-based cathode materials.

Sodium has been researched since the mid-20th century as a cathode material substitute for lithium. SIBs offer several advantages, making them a promising alternative for cost-effective energy storage with a lower environmental impact. Fewer critical minerals are required for SIB production compared to the dominant LIB. This reduces the dependence on scarce minerals and contributes to the overall economic viability. SIBs can use aluminum anode collectors instead of copper, which LIBs require. This substitution reduces the usage of copper, which is beneficial for sustainability efforts and helps minimize critical resource consumption. While the energy density and overall lifetime of SIBs are lower than those of LIBs today, future generations of SIBs are expected to reach parity. Overall, the combination of lower battery material costs, reduced dependence on critical minerals, and the potential to reduce copper usage positions SIBs as an attractive alternative to lithium-based technologies.

A further battery technology in the early stages of research and development is SSBs. SSBs are based on solid electrolytes, which offer improvements over current liquid electrolyte LIBs, such as higher energy density and safety. SSBs use different materials for their components, with lithium metal and silicon being among the most researched anode active materials. Three groups of solid electrolyte materials &#; oxide, sulfide, and polymer &#; are considered the most promising in optimizing SSB performance. Since SSBs do not contain flammable liquids, they are considered highly safe, even at the cell level. Depending on the materials used, SSBs may also offer increased sustainability benefits. However, the primary reason for selecting solid-state batteries in many applications is their superior energy density.

Next-generation battery technologies: greener innovation
LFP, SIB, and SSB comprise the next generation of battery technology. These battery chemistries represent promising alternatives to LIB, improving sustainability and mitigating the supply chain risk of battery development. Research into and commercialization of these new battery chemistries is rapidly advancing, and we can expect to see even more green technologies come to market.

Other battery types in the &#;next generation&#; category include zinc-ion and zinc-air batteries, aluminum- or magnesium-ion batteries, and sodium- and lithium-sulfur batteries. The latter are intensively researched because sulfur is a lightweight, relatively cheap, and abundant material, making it a good choice for lower-cost cathodes. Most of these chemistries are still in the early stages of research. Still, if developmental challenges like cycle stability can be overcome, they may offer promising low-cost battery options with a reduced environmental impact.

While the battery types discussed earlier in this article use the conventional battery setup and focus on substituting cathode and anode materials, there are also options being researched that evaluate alternative functionalities, such as redox Flow Batteries (RFBs).  RFBs function differently than conventional batteries, as the energy is stored in the electrolyte of the battery instead of the electrode material. They offer affordability, reliability, and safety in stationary applications, positioning them as a potential major player in renewable energy storage. Most commercial RFBs use vanadium-based electrolytes and feature external tanks for storing electrolytes. During discharge, the electrolytes are pumped across electrodes separated by a membrane, releasing electrical energy. RFBs have scalability advantages, as increasing the volume of electrolyte tanks increases energy storage capacity without modifying the cell&#;s electrochemical components. At the same time, the risk of short-circuiting and thermal runaway is low due to electrolyte separation and the use of fireproof materials. RFBs are well-suited for applications requiring long discharge times, such as grid-scale energy storage.

Many of these next-generation battery technologies and chemistries will require continued research to reach the technical capabilities and popularity of current LIBs. Nevertheless, these R&D trends indicate a promising direction toward prioritized sustainability, supply chain stability, and safety in clean energy.

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