Uni unveils sodium-ion battery prototype

Khon Kaen University (KKU) on Tuesday introduced a prototype of a sodium-ion battery, an environmentally friendly alternative to a lithium-ion battery.

The development of the in-house battery alternative, a joint effort of the university and the Department of Primary Industries and Mines (DPIM), is considered the first battery of its kind to be produced in the country and Asean, said Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, president of the university.

According to the research team, a sodium-ion battery, produced from rock salt, is cheaper to manufacture, safer to use, and quicker to charge than a normal lithium-ion battery.

The university believes there are tremendous investment opportunities for producing the battery, Mr Charnchai said.

The prototype battery's Energy Storage System (ESS) has been tested for use in electric bicycles and solar cell panels with successful results.

The university aims to push the research of this alternative battery for mass production, he said.

"The battery also exhibits Thailand's potential in the industry's competition," Mr Charnchai said.

Teerawut Thunnukij, a representative of the DPIM director-general, said that the department supported the research in the hope that the sodium-ion battery will one day replace the lithium-ion battery.