Mastodawn

@paulschoe please buy 1x #sodium cell and drive a nail through it

Is #sodium safer than #lithium ? It seems like "it depends"
https://techxplore.com/news/2026-04-safer-sodium-battery-thermal-runaway.html
It seems sodium-ion can also thermal run away when puctured for example

what safety risks are associated with sodium-ion batteries?

Thermal runaway / fire: still possible (especially with flammable organic electrolytes and high states of charge), though many studies find SIBs generally show lower heat release and slower propagation than Li‑ion cells.

Electrolyte flammability and decomposition gases: conventional non‑aqueous electrolytes can ignite or produce toxic/reductive gases during abuse or overheating; nonflammable electrolytes are an active research area.

SEI instability and parasitic reactions: sodium salts and solvents can form less stable solid–electrolyte interphases than lithium systems, causing continuous side reactions... #goodbms is key (again) #need #team #electricalengineer build better #bms

Safer sodium battery eliminates thermal runaway with a heat-triggered polymer barrier

Some batteries have been known to catch fire or explode at high temperatures or when under stress. This safety concern has pushed researchers to experiment with different ways to design safer batteries that can ideally still perform reliably and efficiently. Sodium-ion batteries (NIBs) are considered a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries, but still face safety risks, especially at high capacities. But now, a team of researchers in China has designed a new type of electrolyte for NIBs that may eliminate these risks, allowing for stable performance across a wide temperature range.

Tech Xplore