Researchers have developed a new method to produce anode materials for sodium-ion batteries in seconds.

Developed by a research team at the Nano Hybrid Technology Research Center of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), the groundbreaking technology enables ultrafast, 30-second preparation of hard carbon anodes for sodium-ion batteries using microwave induction heating.

The team led by Dr. Kim and Dr. Park first created films by mixing polymers with a small amount of highly conductive carbon nanotubes. They then applied a microwave magnetic field to the films to induce currents in the carbon nanotubes, selectively heating the films to over 1,400°C in just 30 seconds, according to the study.

With the years of its research, KERI has developed a technology to uniformly heat-treat conductive thin films, such as metals, using microwave magnetic fields.

This technology has attracted considerable attention in industrial processes such as displays and semiconductors. Its Nano Hybrid Technology Research Center is recognized as the nation’s leading center for carbon nanomaterials technology. Researchers leveraged the center’s capabilities to venture into sodium-ion battery anode materials and achieved promising results, according to a press release.

To read more, click here.