A discovery by University of Surrey, U.K., researchers offers a twofold benefit: improved battery performance and increased potable water supply.

These opportunities focus on sodium-ion batteries, which are currently outperformed by lithium-ion devices in terms of longevity and power output. This disparity may be erased by the use of nanostructured sodium vanadate hydrate, which performs significantly better when the water it naturally contains is retained. The material stores more charge, charges faster and remains stable for over 400 charge cycles.

During tests described in the Journal of Material Chemistry A, this widely available compound retained almost twice as much charge as typical sodium-ion materials, placing it among the best-performing cathodes. Additionally, when exposed to saltwater, the sodium vanadate hydrate maintained its power charging and storage functions while also performing electrochemical desalination. Sodium was removed from the solution while a graphite electrode extracted chloride.

This application of abundant, low-cost materials could propel the development of sodium-ion batteries as a viable alternative to lithium-based technology and provide a desalination capacity of 173 mg of sodium chloride/g.