The Department of Science and Technology (DST) announces a breakthrough in sodium-ion battery (SIB) technology developed by researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR). This new SIB, utilizing a NASICON-type cathode and a novel anode material (NaVAlNbPO), achieves an 80% charge in six minutes and maintains performance for over 3000 charge cycles. Key innovations include nanoscale particle engineering, carbon coating, and aluminum doping of the anode material, enhancing sodium-ion mobility and battery lifespan. Sodium's abundance and affordability in India, compared to lithium, position this technology to contribute to India's energy independence goals and potentially power electric vehicles, solar grids, and other applications. The technology has undergone rigorous testing and validation.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Science Technology: The Indian government ministry responsible for science and technology.
India: The country where the sodium-ion battery research and development is taking place.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi - likely the source of the press release.
Bengaluru: City in India where the scientists who developed the sodium-ion battery are located.
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research JNCASR: An autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) where the sodium-ion battery was developed.
Department of Science and Technology DST: The Indian government department that funds the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR).
sodiumion battery SIB: A type of battery that uses sodium ions for charge storage instead of lithium ions.
NASICON: A type of material used in the cathode and anode of the developed sodium-ion battery.
Prof. Premkumar Senguttuvan: The lead scientist of the research team that developed the sodium-ion battery.
Biplab Patra: A Ph.D. scholar who worked with Prof. Premkumar Senguttuvan on the sodium-ion battery.
Na.V.Al.Nb.PO: The novel material engineered for the anode of the sodium-ion battery.
India: Country which could become self-reliant in energy storage technology.
Atmanirbhar Bharat mission: An initiative of the Indian government focused on making India self-reliant.
NKRPSM: Likely an acronym related to the release ID, possibly related to a specific government scheme or initiative. Insufficient context to fully determine.
Ministry of Science & Technology
Supercharging the future: India’s Scientists design
fast-charging & long-lasting sodium-ion battery
Posted On: 19 MAY 2025 5:11PM by PIB Delhi
In a world racing towards electrification—from cars to villages—one thing remains crucial: affordable, fast,
and safe batteries. While lithium-ion batteries have powered this revolution so far, they are costly. Besides,
lithium resources are limited and geopolitically constrained. But scientists in Bengaluru may have just found a
powerful alternative.
A research team at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), an
autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) has developed a super-
fast charging sodium-ion battery (SIB) based on a NASICON-type cathode and anode material, that
can charge up to 80% in just six minutes and last over 3000 charge cycles.
Unlike conventional SIBs that suffer from sluggish charging and short lifespan, this new battery
uses a clever mix of chemistry and nanotechnology. The scientists led by Prof. Premkumar
Senguttuvan and Ph.D. scholar Biplab Patra, engineered a novel material for the
anode—Na.V.Al.Nb.(PO)—and optimized it in three critical ways --shrinking the particles to
nanoscale, wrapping them in a thin carbon coat, and improving the anode material by adding a
small amount of aluminium. These tweaks made sodium ions move faster and more safely,
enabling both speed and durability.
Fig: (left) Fast charging sodium ion battery; (right) Researchers of this discovery - Mr. Biplab Patra (Ph.D
student, JNCASR) and Prof. Premkumar Senguttuvan, Associate Professor, JNCASR
Sodium is cheap and abundantly available in India, unlike lithium which is scarce and largely imported. A
battery built on sodium instead of lithium could help the country to become self-reliant in energy storage
technology—a key goal of the Indian government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat mission.
Beyond just cost, these sodium-ion batteries could power everything from electric vehicles and solar grids to
drones and rural homes, making clean energy accessible where it's needed the most.
The technology has been tested and validated through high-end methods, including electrochemical cyclingand quantum simulations. What makes it especially exciting is that it not only supports rapid charging but also
avoids the fire and degradation risks of traditional batteries.
While more development is needed before these batteries hit the market, the discovery marks a significant
step forward. Peers in the scientific community have begun to take notice, and with continued support, we
may soon see India leading the global race in green battery technology.
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NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2129649)