TCG CREST Scientists Develop Sodium-Ion Battery with Five-Minute Charge Time

Scientists at the Research Institute for Sustainable Energy (RISE) under TCG-CREST have developed a sodium-ion battery that charges to 94 percent capacity in five minutes. The battery does not use cobalt, nickel, copper, or lithium.

The research team, led by Dr. Abhik Banerjee, includes Sreeroop Ghosh, Sayan Chatterjee, and Abhijit Garai. The battery uses pouch cell technology with energy densities of 180 Wh/kg (gravimetric) and 550 Wh/L (volumetric).

Performance Specifications

The cells deliver 10 kW peak power and retain 97 percent capacity across thousands of charge-discharge cycles. The battery maintains stable performance under high-temperature conditions.

"These pouch cells use only earth-abundant, non-toxic materials, are easy to manufacture, and can withstand thousands of cycles with minimal degradation," said Dr. Abhik Banerjee, Team Leader at RISE, TCG CREST. "The five-minute charging capability combined with a high-power output of 10 kW means this chemistry can serve everything from EVs to renewable energy grids."

The energy density figures exceed most deployed lithium iron phosphate batteries used in electric vehicles and grid storage applications.

The team developed a proprietary electrode design and electrolyte formulation to improve ion mobility and structural stability during rapid charging. The design enables high-speed charging without thermal instability and functions across extreme temperatures.

Applications include electric mobility, solar-grid storage, heavy-duty power systems, and rural microgrids.

Lithium-ion batteries currently dominate the energy storage market but face safety risks, narrow temperature tolerance, and supply chain volatility. Sodium-ion batteries have been considered safer and lower-cost alternatives but have previously lagged in energy density and power delivery.

"India's clean-energy transition cannot depend on materials and technologies controlled elsewhere," said Prof. Satishchandra Ogale, Director of RISE, TCG CREST. "What we've achieved at RISE is not just a better battery; it's a blueprint for strategic self-reliance. By combining indigenous materials, advanced electrochemistry, and intelligent design, we've demonstrated that sodium-ion batteries can not only match but, in several respects, exceed the performance of lithium-ion systems."

TCG CREST was established in 2020 in Kolkata by The Chatterjee Group. The institution received deemed-to-be-university status and focuses on translational research. The Chatterjee Group operates across financial services, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, information technology services, petrochemicals manufacturing, specialty chemicals, and real estate sectors. TCG CREST receives funding from TCG Foundation, established in 1998.