“From a physics perspective, sodium batteries inherently have lower energy density than lithium batteries.” A typical sodium-ion battery has an energy density of about 150 watt-hours per kilogram at the cell level, he said. Lithium-ion batteries can range from about 180 to nearly 300 watt-hours per kilogram.
Lead Acid Batteries Lead-acid batteries consist of lead dioxide (PbO2) and sponge lead (Pb) plates submerged in a sulfuric acid electrolyte. The electrochemical reactions between these materials generate electrical energy.
Sodium-ion batteries therefore have a huge potential price advantage. Graphene batteries, as we said before, is an enhanced version of lead-acid batteries. So, compared to lead acid batteries, the lead plate is a little bit thicker. The general graphene battery is about 5kg heavier than a lead acid battery.
That idea has resurfaced, as several battery companies have begun manufacturing sodium-ion batteries as greener alternatives to lithium-ion batteries. Sodium is just below lithium in the periodic table of the elements, meaning their chemical behaviors are very similar.
Development of sodium-ion batteries has lagged behind that of lithium-ion batteries, but interest in sodium has grown in the past decade as a result of environmental concerns over the mining and shipping of lithium and its associated materials.
Lead-acid batteries are significantly heavier than their lithium-ion counterparts, which can be a disadvantage in applications where weight is a critical factor. Their bulkiness can also limit their use in portable devices. The cycle life of lead-acid batteries is considerably shorter, typically ranging from 300 to 1,500 cycles.