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UH researchers develop breakthrough material to boost efficiency of sodium-ion batteries

future of batteries

A team at the University of Houston is changing the game for sodium-ion batteries. Photo via Getty Images

A research lab at the University of Houston has developed a new type of material for sodium-ion batteries that could make them more efficient and boost their energy performance.

Led by Pieremanuele Canepa, Robert Welch assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at UH, the Canepa Research Laboratory is working on a new material called sodium vanadium phosphate, which improves sodium-ion battery performance by increasing the energy density. Energy density is the amount of energy stored per kilogram, and the new material can do so by more than 15 percent. With a higher energy density of 458 watt-hours per kilogram — compared to the 396 watt-hours per kilogram in older sodium-ion batteries — this material brings sodium technology closer to competing with lithium-ion batteries, according to the researchers.

The Canepa Lab used theoretical expertise and computational methods to discover new materials and molecules to help advance clean energy technologies. The team at UH worked with the research groups headed by French researchers Christian Masquelier and Laurence Croguennec from the Laboratoire de Reáctivité et de Chimie des Solides, which is a CNRS laboratory part of the Université de Picardie Jules Verne, in Amiens France, and the Institut de Chimie de la Matière Condensée de Bordeaux, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France for the experimental work on the project.

The researchers then created a battery prototype using the new materia sodium vanadium phosphate, which demonstrated energy storage improvements. The material is part of a group called “Na superionic conductors” or NaSICONs, which is made to let sodium ions move in and out of the battery during charging and discharging.

“The continuous voltage change is a key feature,” Canepa says in a news release. “It means the battery can perform more efficiently without compromising the electrode stability. That’s a game-changer for sodium-ion technology.”

The synthesis method used to create sodium vanadium phosphate may be applied to other materials with similar chemistries, which could create new opportunities for advanced energy storage. A paper of this work was published in the journal Nature Materials.

"Our goal is to find clean, sustainable solutions for energy storage," Canepa adds. "This material shows that sodium-ion batteries can meet the high-energy demands of modern technology while being cost-effective and environmentally friendly."

Pieremanuele Canepa, Robert Welch assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at UH, is leading a research project that can change the effectiveness of sodium-ion batteries. Photo courtesy of UH

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Junichiro Kono has assumed leadership of the Smalley-Curl Institute at Rice University. Photo via Rice.edu

Rice names new leader for prestigious nanotechnology, materials science institute

take the lead

A distinguished Rice University professor has assumed the reins of a unique institute that focuses on research within nanoscience, quantum science, and materials science.

Junichiro Kono has assumed leadership of the Smalley-Curl Institute, which houses some of the world’s most accomplished researchers across fields including advanced materials, quantum magnetism, plasmonics and photonics, biophysics and bioengineering, all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, and more.

“With his great track record in fostering international research talent — with student exchange programs between the U.S., Japan, Taiwan, China, Singapore and France that have introduced hundreds of students to new cultures and ways of researching science and engineering — Jun brings a wealth of experience in building cultural and technological ties across the globe,” Ramamoorthy Ramesh, executive vice president for research, says in a news release.

Kono is the Karl F. Hasselmann Professor in Engineering, chair of the Applied Physics Graduate Program and professor of electrical and computer engineering, physics and astronomy and materials science and nanoengineering, and is considered a global leader in studies of nanomaterials and light-matter interactions. He currently leads Rice’s top 10-ranked Applied Physics Graduate Program.

Under his leadership, the program is expected to double in size over. By 2029. The Smalley-Curl Institute will also add additional postdoctoral research fellowships to the current three endowed positions.

The Smalley-Curl Institute is named for Nobel Laureates Richard Smalley and Robert Curl (‘54). Earlier in his career, Kono once worked with Smalley on the physical properties of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), which led to the experimental discovery of the Aharonov-Bohm effect on the band structure of SWCNTs in high magnetic fields.

“I am deeply honored and excited to lead the Smalley-Curl Institute,” Kono says in a news release. “The opportunity to build upon the incredible legacy of Richard Smalley and Robert Curl is both a privilege and a challenge, which I embrace wholeheartedly. I’m really looking forward to working with the talented researchers and students at Rice University to further advance our understanding and application of nanomaterials and quantum phenomena. Together, we can accomplish great things.”

Kono succeeds Rice professor Naomi Halas as director of the institute. Halas is the Stanley C. Moore Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the founding director of the Laboratory for Nanophotonics.

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Houston energy company expands battery storage deal with Samsung

battery boost

Houston-based Alpha Omega Power, which develops, invests in and runs utility-scale battery energy storage systems, has signed a deal to add more storage capacity from a subsidiary of South Korean tech giant Samsung.

The latest deal adds 1 gigawatt-hour of storage capacity to Alpha Omega’s existing contract with Samsung SDI America, bringing total storage capacity to 1.5 gigawatts.

The Michigan-based Samsung subsidiary is manufacturing the systems’ cells and modules at a plant in Indiana, Alpha Omega said. Samsung SDI plans to deliver them by the end of this year.

“This second agreement strengthens our domestic supply chain supporting the next generation of energy infrastructure,” Paul Choi, CEO of Alpha Omega, said in a press release.

Houston-based Fengate Asset Management owns Alpha Omega. In 2023, they formed a partnership to build, acquire, and operate utility-scale battery energy storage projects in the U.S. Their 200-megawatt Vertus battery facility in Galveston County came online this month.

Alpha Omega plans to use the Samsung SDI systems to improve grid reliability and meet greater demand for power in markets served by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Salt Lake City-based Western Electricity Coordinating Council.

ERCOT covers 90 percent of power customers in Texas. The Western Interconnection grid covers all or part of 14 states, as well as parts of Canada and Mexico.

Samsung SDI is the only non-Chinese supplier of rigid-metal “prismatic” energy storage batteries in North America, according to Alpha Omega.

“With strong durability and fire safety compared with pouch-type batteries, its prismatic batteries have helped the company meet the stringent requirements of U.S. energy companies,” Alpha Omega said.

The Samsung Battery Box 1.7 equipment being purchased by Alpha Omega offers AI-powered algorithms and 25 years of continuous use, along with greater energy density than its predecessor. It also features the ability to directly inject fire-extinguishing agents on a module-by-module basis.

Harris County officials seek more local control over data centers

data demands

Three Harris County officials are pushing for greater local control over the development and operation of data centers.

County Attorney Abby Kamin, County Commissioner Lesley Briones and County Commissioner Adrian Garcia recently called for action to give Harris County more power to regulate data centers.

As it stands now, Harris County “has little to no authority” over the construction of data centers, Briones said at a news conference. Harris County has 55 operating, under-construction, or planned data centers, according to a document filed with the county.

Briones outlined four steps being included in the Harris County commissioners’ exploration of potentially tighter local regulation of data centers:

  • Reviewing what Harris County can and cannot do regarding data centers
  • Creating a Harris County plan for the upcoming state legislative session aimed at granting more local control over data center construction and operations. State lawmakers would need to approve any changes in local control.
  • Establishing community “listening” sessions in Harris County about data centers
  • Notifying Harris County commissioners when a proposed data center seeks permits

Kamin noted Houston and Harris County lack zoning regulations, and the county’s 34 cities set their own zoning rules. Furthermore, she said, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has not issued a ruling on whether counties can impose a moratorium on development of data centers.

However, she said, “limited jurisdiction does not mean limited responsibility … New technology is arriving in our communities faster than our laws and institutions can keep up with, whether that’s data centers, AI or even drones.”

The effort by Kamin, Briones, and Garcia follows Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent statewide halt of new environmental and construction permits for data centers. State permitting is frozen until the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Public Utility Commission of Texas complete their review of data centers.

Their initiative also comes amid growing public concern over the amount of electricity and water gobbled up by data centers, as well as residents’ own rising electric and water bills.

Houston-based CenterPoint Energy expects to connect 8 gigawatts of new data-center loads in the Houston area by 2029, with about 4 gigawatts to follow, Kamin said. That, she said, would significantly increase peak power demand.

“No industry should get to monopolize or run roughshod over residents, public safety, and our critical natural resources,” Kamin said.

That being said, Kamin and Briones stressed they take pride in Houston being the Energy Capital of the World and Texas being an economic powerhouse.

“This isn’t about being against technology or new technology, but growth has to go hand in hand with accountability,” Kamin said.

Garcia said he’s open to welcoming data centers as good corporate neighbors, but not without protecting the people who live near these projects.

“I’ll keep an open mind,” he said, “but I want to know what will ultimately be the benefit to the community. And right now, I need tools [to do that].”

Houston bio-based materials co. steps into new sustainable consumer products

a cleaner shoe

A more sustainable shoe can’t be built on a single material swap. From the hard plastics hidden inside a heel to the material covering a sneaker’s upper, footwear is a collection of components—and each presents a different challenge for companies trying to move away from conventional, petroleum-based materials.

Houston-based Rheom Materials wants to change that equation. The biomaterials company has launched a sustainable footwear platform featuring two of its bio-based alternatives: Benree, a biodegradable plastic designed for hard internal components, and ShoraiDura, a durable leather alternative for footwear uppers.

“A shoe is not one material; it is multiple parts working together as a system. Substituting a single material has never moved the needle,” Rheom founder and CEO Zimri Hinshaw said in a news release. “Rheom wants to make it easier for brands to make a positive impact. By providing an assortment of bio-based materials, brands can change the system, not just a swatch of it.”

Benree is Rheom’s alternative to conventional hard plastics used in footwear construction. The company says it is a 100 percent USDA-certified bio-based, biodegradable material with performance comparable to acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), a widely used engineering plastic.

The material has passed SATRA testing for high-heel applications with Bared Footwear, an Australian footwear brand.

“At Bared, we're constantly on a journey to remove plastic from our shoes. At the same time, our brand won't compromise on quality for the end customer,” Millie Richards, Bared’s head of sustainability, added in the release. “From samples and testing, Rheom has proven to be solving both of those problems for us. We look forward to seeing how they develop as a company and would love to use them in our shoes.”

Rheom says it is also exploring Benree for additional internal components, including toe puffs and heel counters.

Rheom's Benree material was used for a high-heel prototype. Photo courtesy Rheom Materials

The company’s ShoraiDura material addresses another major part of shoe construction: the upper, which must withstand repeated flexing, friction and wear while maintaining its appearance.

Containing about 80 percent bio-based content, ShoraiDura is engineered as a durable leather alternative for footwear. Rheom says the material’s molecular structure is designed to deliver the strength and durability required for demanding applications.

To demonstrate how the material could be used in finished products, Rheom worked with a Los Angeles-based footwear manufacturer to create two prototypes: an athletic sneaker and a textured skater shoe, both featuring ShoraiDura uppers.

The two offerings reflect the company’s broader strategy. Rather than asking brands to evaluate a single material in isolation, Rheom is positioning its platform as a way to explore alternatives across different parts of footwear construction.

The next step is broader industry adoption. Benree’s testing with Bared Footwear and ShoraiDura’s footwear prototypes offer early examples of how the materials could be applied, while commercial use will depend on manufacturers’ evaluations and product-development decisions.

Rheom Materials is a Houston-based biomaterials company developing bio-based alternatives to petrochemical plastics. Its product portfolio includes Shorai, a leather alternative, and Benree, a hard plastic alternative.

The company debuted Shorai at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 2025 and showed a bio-based "leather" collection in Milan earlier this year. Read more here.

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This article originally appeared on our sister site, InnovationMap.

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