Battery technology is essential for electric vehicles (EVs), renewable energy storage, and mobile devices. Right now, lithium-ion batteries are the most common. However, lithium is expensive, limited, and has environmental issues. A new research breakthrough, announced on October 17, 2025, indicates that sodium, a more common and affordable element, could make all-solid-state batteries competitive. These findings could alter how we design future batteries and hasten the transition to cleaner energy.
The core discovery
Scientists at the University of Chicago stabilized a metastable sodium compound to use as a solid electrolyte. Solid electrolytes are safer since they don’t have liquid flammable components. They also allow for higher energy density. The team identified a sodium hydridoborate phase that conducts ions about ten times better than earlier sodium materials, and three to four orders of magnitude better than the precursor. This high ionic conductivity means ions move quickly, which improves performance.
They also combined this new electrolyte with a thicker cathode, meaning there is more active material in the battery cell. This contributes to a higher energy density. The outcome is a sodium solid-state battery that operates reliably at room temperature and even below freezing. This is important because many earlier sodium designs needed low temperatures or thin layers.
What benefits does sodium bring?
- Cost and abundance: Sodium is widely available from salt and is much cheaper than lithium.
- Safety: Solid-state designs lower the risks of fire or leakage from liquid electrolytes.
- Performance potential: With the new material’s improved ion conduction and thicker cathode, sodium batteries can get close to the performance of lithium-ion batteries.
- Sustainability: These batteries rely less on mining limited lithium or cobalt, which could lower their environmental impact.
Where it stands now – prospects & challenges
Prospects: This breakthrough brings sodium solid-state batteries much closer to commercial reality. The manufacturing methods use familiar techniques, such as rapid cooling to lock the metastable form, making it more feasible to scale up.
Challenges:
- Mass production at scale: Lab results are promising, but scaling up to gigafactories will take time.
- Durability & lifetime: Long-term cycling and real-world conditions (like heat, cold, and vibration) still need testing.
- Material supply chains: Although sodium is abundant, the specialized compounds and processing require industrialization.
- Commercial competitiveness: Lithium-ion technology keeps improving, so sodium must offer clear advantages to warrant a switch.
Implications for industry and everyday life
If sodium solid-state batteries become commercially viable, we can expect effects across various sectors:
- Electric vehicles (EVs): Cheaper batteries could lower EV prices and extend range with higher-density modules.
- Grid storage: Renewable sources like solar and wind need solid, affordable storage. Sodium solid-state batteries could support large-scale energy storage.
- Consumer electronics: Safer, longer-lasting batteries might become the norm in phones, laptops, and wearables.
- Emerging markets: Regions where cost is a barrier may adopt sodium-based technology sooner, speeding up global clean-energy use.
Sodium vs Lithium in Solid-State Batteries
| Feature | Lithium Solid-State | Sodium Solid-State (New) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of raw material | High (lithium, cobalt, etc.) | Lower (sodium abundant) |
| Solid electrolyte | Many variants, still scaling | New metastable sodium compound |
| Operating temperature | Often room or above | Works down to sub-freezing |
| Energy density potential | High, but cost-challenged | Improving, now competitive |
| Commercial readiness | Near mass production | Emerging, closer to reality |
What comes next
Next steps for this research:
- Pilot manufacture of cells/modules using the new sodium solid electrolyte and thick cathodes.
- Real-world testing: Prototypes must be tested for many charge/discharge cycles and environmental conditions.
- Integration into systems: EV makers, grid storage firms, and electronics firms will need to adapt designs to accept sodium technology.
- Cost analysis and supply chain development: Scaling up must make financial sense and supply chains must mature.
Watch to know more
Conclusion
The University of Chicago’s breakthrough in sodium solid-state batteries is a significant step forward in energy storage. The researchers have stabilized a high-performance sodium compound and shown a thick-cathode design. This progress reduces the gap between lithium and sodium technologies. While there are still challenges, the potential for cheaper, safer, and greener battery solutions is promising. As battery demand increases for electric vehicles, grid storage, and various devices, innovations like this will help create a more sustainable energy future. Stay tuned; the era of sodium-based batteries might be closer than you think.
