Building Sustainable Sodium-Ion Batteries from Wood Industry By-Products

Introduction

The energy shift grows fast. Nations need safe, cost-wise batteries. Researchers at Fraunhofer IKTS and Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena work on a new sodium-ion battery. They use lignin—a leftover from wood and pulp work—to make this battery. Lignin, a by-product, now helps solve energy needs.

Why Sodium-Ion Batteries?

Sodium-ion batteries use local, abundant materials. They cut reliance on rare metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. These metals come with supply risks and environmental issues. Sodium-ion batteries, by design, also bring safety and sustainability.

Lignin: From By-Product to Battery Material

Lignin helps wood stand strong. Often, mills burn it for energy, not use it well. The ThüNaBsE project changes that. It turns lignin into hard carbon for the battery’s negative side.

• Processing: Mercer Rosenthal GmbH supplies lignin. They heat it under inert air. This process yields hard carbon.
• Properties: Hard carbon works well. It stores charge, lasts through cycles, and keeps costs low.

Positive Electrode: Prussian Blue Analogs

The battery’s positive side uses iron-based compounds. These Prussian Blue analogs bring benefits:

• The raw materials are common.
• They help the environment.
• They store sodium ions effectively.

Progress and Performance

Fraunhofer IKTS and the university test prototype cells. Early cells with lignin work well. Tests show steady capacity over 100 cycles. The goal is 200 stable cycles for a 1-Ah full cell.

Applications and Future Outlook

The new battery suits stationary and mobility uses where fast charging is not key. It fits roles like:

• Microcars (up to 45 km/h)
• Forklifts in warehouses

After the project, Fraunhofer and partners plan a wider test. They will join more groups to scale the technology.

Conclusion

The ThüNaBsE project shows promise. It takes a low-value wood by-product and makes a sustainable, low-cost battery. This work boosts resource independence. It also supports safety and green energy storage for our future.

Source: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, November 3, 2025
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