Electrodeposition as a Powerful Tool for the Fabrication and Characterization of Next-Generation Anodes for Sodium Ion Rechargeable Batteries

As the number of markets, as well as the overall market size, for rechargeable batteries continues to grow, it is clear that there is no one perfect battery to suit every application. In the best case, we would have batteries that store a very large amount of energy per unit mass or volume (energy density), can charge and discharge very quickly (power density), can cycle many times with very low loss of efficiency (cycle life), and are safe. Ideally, such a battery would be made from Earth-abundant, recyclable, sustainably mined or made materials, and could be scaled using inexpensive, safe manufacturing. There is, as of now, no such battery. Because we do not have a battery that is one size fits all, the wide range of potential applications for energy storage is a significant driving force for discovering and implementing a diversity of new battery chemistries to meet a wide range of requirements. In this Interface article, we describe the use of electrodeposition as a synthesis method for battery materials to enable and accelerate the design, understanding, and optimization of electrodes for sodium ion and sodium metal rechargeable batteries for applications where cost is more important than the overall weight of the battery.