Sodium-beta alumina batteries: Status and challenges

This paper provides a review of materials and designs for sodium-beta alumina battery technology and discusses the challenges ahead for further technology improvement. Sodium-beta alumina batteries have been extensively developed in recent years and encouraging progress in performance and cycle life has been achieved. The battery is composed of an anode, typically molten sodium, and a cathode that can be molten sulfur (Na-S battery) or a transition metal halide incorporated with a liquid phase secondary electrolyte (e.g., ZEBRA battery). In most cases the electrolyte is a dense solid β-Al 2O3 sodium ion-conducting membrane. The issues prohibiting widespread commercialization of sodium-beta alumina technology are related to the materials and methods of manufacturing that impact cost, safety, and performance characteristics. © 2010 TMS.