Context:
South Korean scientists develops sodium ion battery that can be charged in seconds.
Sodium Ion Battery:
- It is a high-power hybrid sodium-ion battery capable of rapid charging.
- Conceived as a cheaper and potentially more feasible source of energy than Lithium-Ion batteries.
Sodium Ion Battery vs. Lithium-Ion Battery:
| Specification | Sodium Ion Battery | Lithium-Ion Battery |
| Occurrence | Sodium is 500-1000 times more abundant than lithium. | Lithium availability is limited to few countries. |
| Charging time | Charges faster | Slow charging rate |
| Safety | Safer, as they do not explode or catch fire easily | Less safe, prone to catching fire or exploding |
| Operation and use | Higher operating temperature range and thus can be used in more extreme temperatures. | Lower operating temperature range and can cause fire if operated in higher temperatures. |
| Applicability | Can be used in small as well as large-scale energy storage applications. | Suitable for portable devices and electric vehicles. |
Limitations of Sodium Ion Battery:
- Shorter lifespan as compared to Lithium-ion batteries.
- Infant technology and lack of a well-established supply chain.
- Limitations of flexibility into various shapes (e.g. prism, cylinder).
- Cycle life of 5,000 times, significantly lower than the cycle life of commercial lithium iron phosphate batteries, which is 8,000-10,000 times.
Source: WION
Previous Year Question
With reference to street-lighting, how do sodium lamps differ from LED lamps?
Sodium lamps produce light in 360 degrees but it is not so in the case of LED lamps.
As street lights, sodium lamps have longer life span than LED lamps.
The spectrum of visible light from sodium lamps is almost monochromatic while LED lamps offer significant colour advantages in street-lighting.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2021 Prelims]
(a) 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Explanation:
Statement 2 is not correct: LED lifespan can be greater than 100,000 hours, more than four times that of sodium lamps. Therefore, the Lifespan of LED is more than Sodium.
