IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v402y2026ipbs030626192501699x.html

Pioneering new paths in sodium-ion batteries: A comprehensive review towards binder-free anode and cathode materials for next-generation energy storage

Author

Listed:
  • Abbar, Jyothi C.
  • Rangappa, Ravichandra

Abstract

Significant technological advancements have improved the efficiency and reduced the cost of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), making them a leading energy storage solution. Despite their high power and energy density, concerns over lithium resource availability, cost, and the need for higher energy density have driven the search for “beyond Li-ion” technologies. Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have emerged as a promising alternative due to their similar working principles and manufacturing processes to LIBs. A major component in conventional battery electrodes is the binder, used to hold active materials and conductive additives together. However, binders are often electrochemically inactive, insulating, and mechanically unstable, which can hinder performance by reducing conductivity, causing uneven material distribution, and limiting cycle stability. In contrast, binder-free electrodes offer several advantages, such as higher surface area, better adhesion to current collector, and improved tolerance to volume changes during cycling. These features contribute to enhanced electronic conductivity, improved electrochemical reversibility, and better overall battery performance. This review highlights recent advancements in binder-free anode and cathode materials-including metals, carbon-based structures, MXene, and hybrids-along with novel synthesis strategies. The discussion also covers their impact on rate capability and cycle life, and outlines the current challenges and future directions for realizing practical applications of SIBs. In addition, this review provides an integrative perspective by covering diverse material platform and latest fabrication methods, offering a timely road map for the advancement of the binder-free sodium ion battery technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Abbar, Jyothi C. & Rangappa, Ravichandra, 2026. "Pioneering new paths in sodium-ion batteries: A comprehensive review towards binder-free anode and cathode materials for next-generation energy storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 402(PB).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:402:y:2026:i:pb:s030626192501699x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126969
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030626192501699X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126969?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zubi, Ghassan & Dufo-López, Rodolfo & Carvalho, Monica & Pasaoglu, Guzay, 2018. "The lithium-ion battery: State of the art and future perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 292-308.
    2. Papadis, Elisa & Tsatsaronis, George, 2020. "Challenges in the decarbonization of the energy sector," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Frković, Lovro & Ćosić, Boris & Pukšec, Tomislav & Vladimir, Nikola, 2022. "The synergy between the photovoltaic power systems and battery-powered electric ferries in the isolated energy system of an island," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    2. Mohammed, Abubakar Gambo & Elfeky, Karem Elsayed & Wang, Qiuwang, 2022. "Recent advancement and enhanced battery performance using phase change materials based hybrid battery thermal management for electric vehicles," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    3. Al-Jabri, Hareb & Das, Probir & Khan, Shoyeb & AbdulQuadir, Mohammad & Thaher, Mehmoud Ibrahim & Hoekman, Kent & Hawari, Alaa H., 2022. "A comparison of bio-crude oil production from five marine microalgae – Using life cycle analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    4. Łukasz Jarosław Kozar & Robert Matusiak & Marta Paduszyńska & Adam Sulich, 2022. "Green Jobs in the EU Renewable Energy Sector: Quantile Regression Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-21, September.
    5. Verdone, Alessio & Scardapane, Simone & Panella, Massimo, 2024. "Explainable Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Networks for multi-site photovoltaic energy production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 353(PB).
    6. Cagli, Efe Caglar, 2023. "The volatility spillover between battery metals and future mobility stocks: Evidence from the time-varying frequency connectedness approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PA).
    7. Marius Eugen Țiboacă-Ciupăgeanu & Dana Alexandra Țiboacă-Ciupăgeanu, 2024. "Optimal Substation Placement: A Paradigm for Advancing Electrical Grid Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-14, May.
    8. Martins, Flavio Pinheiro & De-León Almaraz, Sofía & Botelho Junior, Amilton Barbosa & Azzaro-Pantel, Catherine & Parikh, Priti, 2024. "Hydrogen and the sustainable development goals: Synergies and trade-offs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    9. Liu, Shuaiqi & Kong, Xianghao & Wang, Jun & Li, Shuai & Ma, Chao & Xu, Cangsu & Zhang, Wugao & Zhang, Jiabo & Huang, Zhen & Han, Dong, 2026. "Effect of low pressure on thermal runaway behavior of lithium-ion batteries induced by internal short circuit with optical diagnostics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 344(C).
    10. Abdul-Salam, Yakubu & Kemp, Alex & Phimister, Euan, 2022. "Energy transition in the UKCS – Modelling the effects of carbon emission charges on upstream petroleum operations," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    11. Stamatios K. Chrysikopoulos & Panos T. Chountalas & Dimitrios A. Georgakellos & Athanasios G. Lagodimos, 2024. "Decarbonization in the Oil and Gas Sector: The Role of Power Purchase Agreements and Renewable Energy Certificates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-24, July.
    12. Luisa Ferolla Spyer Prates & Ricardo Carreón Sosa & Daniel Karthe & David Bonilla, 2025. "Integrating the Resource Nexus approach in energy, mobility and circular economy transitions in Mexico: a systematic literature review," Sustainability Nexus Forum, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 1-21, December.
    13. N. Thangaiyarkarasi & S. Vanitha, 2021. "The Impact of Financial Development on Decarbonization Factors of Carbon Emissions: A Global Perspective," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 11(6), pages 353-364.
    14. Tinta, Abdoulganiour Almame, 2023. "Energy substitution in Africa: Cross-regional differentiation effects," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    15. Martina Ricci & Marcello Benvenuto & Stefano Gino Mosele & Roberto Pacciani & Michele Marconcini, 2022. "Predicting the Impact of Compressor Flexibility Improvements on Heavy-Duty Gas Turbines for Minimum and Base Load Conditions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-14, October.
    16. Dahash, Abdulrahman & Bott, Christoph & Giordano, Fabrizia & Serageldin, Ahmed, 2026. "Simulation-based planning for cost-effective and energy-efficient large-scale seasonal thermal energy storage systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    17. Huang, Deyang & Chen, Ziqiang & Zhou, Shiyao, 2021. "Model prediction-based battery-powered heating method for series-connected lithium-ion battery pack working at extremely cold temperatures," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    18. Araujo-Vizuete, Gabriela & Robalino-López, Andrés & Mena-Nieto, Ángel, 2025. "Decoding urban energy use variability: A bottom-up approach in Ecuador," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 327(C).
    19. Francesco Sica & Francesco Tajani & Pierluigi Morano, 2025. "A Model for Sustainable Development in Territorial Production Systems," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(3), pages 4511-4528, June.
    20. Son, Donghee & Song, Youngbin & Park, Shina & Oh, Junseok & Kim, Sang Woo, 2025. "Online state-of-charge and capacity co-estimation for lithium-ion batteries under aging and varying temperatures," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:402:y:2026:i:pb:s030626192501699x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.