Sodium-Ion Batteries are the Next Big Breakthrough for Smartphones

Smartphone battery tech hasn’t changed that much over the years. Lithium-ion is still the battery tech of choice, although over the years, researchers have attempted to find alternatives. But now, a new study from researchers over at the Tokyo University of Science may have stumbled upon an alternative: sodium-ion batteries.

Sodium-ion batteries could be the next big thing

If you don’t have time to read the study, here’s the TL;DR. Sodium-ion batteries actually charge faster than lithium batteries. The researchers at Tokyo University of Science tested both types and found that sodium moves through battery materials more quickly than lithium does. It’s like water flowing through pipes, except that sodium just flows better compared to lithium.

The researchers used a special testing method that let them measure the speed of each battery type without other factors getting in the way. What they discovered was pretty interesting. It turns out sodium needs less energy to pack itself into the battery’s storage spaces. This means the whole charging process happens faster. Plus, sodium batteries seem to handle temperature changes better than lithium ones. This could make it more efficient and offer a more consistent charging experience, regardless if you’re in a hot car or freezing weather.

The best part is that sodium is everywhere. It’s readily available and cheaper compared to lithium, which means these batteries could be way more affordable to produce. That’s good news for everyone since we’re all tired of paying premium prices for phones with decent battery life. Battery technology has been slowly improving, but sodium could make a real difference.

When will we see this in phones?

The big question is when sodium-ion batteries will actually show up in your next smartphone. Right now, the technology needs more development work before companies can mass produce it for consumer devices. The researchers say they need to perfect certain aspects of how these batteries store energy to make them truly viable for everyday use.

However, this isn’t the only battery breakthrough we’ve seen in recent years. Companies like Samsung are working on solid-state batteries that could arrive by 2027. So, between sodium-ion technology and other developments, the future of smartphone batteries is looking pretty optimistic. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long before we start seeing phones that last longer and charge faster.

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