Advancements in battery technology have been a research focus for many reasons, including cost reduction. Sodium-ion batteries have emerged as a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries due to the abundance and low cost of sodium compounds. However, their use in primary batteries has been limited by the lack of materials capable of effectively intercalating sodium ions without significant degradation.

Researchers out of Professor Xin Li's lab have developed primary batteries incorporating desodiated sodium transition metal oxides, offering comparable electrical performance to current lithium-ion technology at a lower cost. These oxides, formulated as NaxMO2, where x ranges from 0 to 1.5 and M represents one or more transition metals, provide controllable energy storage properties. The invention encompasses various embodiments, including different transition metal compositions and methods of synthesis and de-intercalation. Notably, the desodiated sodium transition metal oxides demonstrate potential for high discharge voltages, battery capacities, and energy densities, making them suitable for various applications in primary batteries.