IIT Kharagpur Scientists Develop Fast Charging E-Cycle Powered By Na-Ion batteries

Scientists at the IIT Kharagpur have developed sodium-ion batteries and supercapacitors using nanomaterials. The battery can be used in an electric bicycle (E-cycle) and is capable of quick charging. The price of e-cycle will drop dramatically since sodium(Na)-ion batteries are less expensive than lithium-ion batteries.

Dr. Amreesh Chandra, a professor in the Department of Physics at the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, has been working to make Na-ion-based energy storage technology, and his team has invented a wide range of nanomaterials. To create Na-ion-based batteries and supercapacitors, the team used sodium iron phosphates and sodium manganese phosphates that they synthesized with assistance from the Technology Mission Division (TMD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India. To create a battery, these sodium compounds were coupled with some cutting-edge carbon structures.

These sodium-based compounds are more affordable, more effective, and capable of being scaled up to industrial-level production than Li-based materials. The Na-ion cell is safer than many other storage devices because it can be completely discharged to zero volts, like a capacitor. Dr. Amreesh has incorporated Na-ion batteries into e-cycles, providing the general people with a simple, cost-effective option, by taking advantage of their quick charging capabilities.

These cars could cost between Rs. 10-15 K with additional development, which would make them roughly 25% less expensive than e-cycles powered by Li-ion batteries. Batteries made of Na-ion would be easier to dispose of, which could aid in the effort to mitigate global warming. There are a few patents in the works about the usage of these Na-ion-based batteries in e-cycles, and the research on supercapacitors was published in the Journal of Power Sources.

The DST’s Materials for Energy Storage program provided funding for this research project.

Recently, IIT Kharagpur researchers team also developed an indigenous, efficient and affordable smart controller for e-Rickshaws.