The young Chinese scientist behind an ‘impossible’ breakthrough on sodium batteries

AI Summary

Chinese scientist Lu Yaxiang has achieved a significant breakthrough in making sodium-ion batteries commercially viable after a decade of research. Sodium-ion batteries offer an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, potentially alleviating shortages and environmental concerns associated with lithium extraction.

Scientist Lu Yaxiang, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Physics, has spent a decade working to make sodium-ion batteries commercially viable. Those years of work on energy storage in April earned Lu a China Youth May Fourth Medal – the nation’s top honour for outstanding achievers under 35. For years, lithium-ion batteries have dominated the market, even though their raw materials are scarce and environmentally demanding to extract. Sodium-ion batteries are seen as an...