| Popis: |
Sodium-ion batteries are lower cost and more sustainable alternatives for lithium-ion batteries. The development of cheap and environmentally friendly electrode materials with high electrochemical performance is the key strategy for the advancement of sodium-ion battery technology. However, despite the high research attention to the development of the synthesis procedures of the electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries, there has been less focus on the environmental footprint of each production route which is a vital aspect for large-scale industrial applications. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) study was performed here to evaluate the sustainability of the production phase of a promising cathode material with the chemical formula of Na3MnCO3PO4 (NMCP), which was previously studied in sodium-ion batteries. LCA approach was used to compare the environmental impacts of three representative synthesis strategies of NMCP nanoparticles including ball milling, hydrothermal, and stirring assisted hydrothermal. Results showed that the footprint associated with the ball milling method is dominant for three categories of acidification, eutrophication, and carcinogenics, while its impact in the other seven categories is only slightly less than the hydrothermal-based methods. The LCA analysis suggested that hydrothermal-based methods were eco-friendlier than the ball milling method. Consequently, between NMCP materials with comparable capabilities, the one prepared by a procedure with lower environmental impact and acceptable electrochemical performance, i.e. stirring assisted hydrothermal, would be the most appropriate method for large-scale applications. |
