Macsen Labs Achieves Significant Breakthrough in Sodium-Ion Battery Chemistry

Major Breakthrough in Sodium-Ion Battery Technology

Macsen Labs, a well-established manufacturer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), dyes, and specialty chemicals since 1952, is making waves in a different industry: energy storage. Recently, the company announced a significant advancement in sodium-ion battery technology, leveraging their successful synthesis of a new cathode material known as Prussian White. This new material has already undergone extensive optimization for use in batteries, demonstrating promising results that have propelled the company toward pilot-scale manufacturing.

CEO Achal Agrawal, who is also the lead researcher for this project, expressed excitement about this unexpected pivot into energy storage. "While working on Prussian Blue as a therapeutic agent for radioactive poisoning, we discovered its derivative, Prussian White, viewed as one of the top candidates for sodium-ion battery cathodes. At that moment, our curiosity sparked a new direction for our research and development efforts."

It’s been just a year since Macsen's team, starting from scratch in electrochemistry, successfully created a basic pouch cell within a traditional chemistry lab without specialized equipment. "We lacked a glove box, coater, or calendering machine; we simply relied on our lab skills and synthesized materials," recalls Agrawal. "When that small cell powered an LED bulb, we realized we were onto something worthwhile."

This initial success led to the establishment of a dedicated electrochemistry lab equipped with argon glove boxes for inert atmosphere manipulation, button and pouch cell fabrication stations, electrode coaters, crimpers, vacuum dryers, and electrochemical testing systems such as cyclers and potentiostats. This comprehensive setup allows Macsen to quickly prototype battery cells and evaluate them using their synthesized materials, dramatically reducing development timelines.

Currently, Macsen has implemented pilot-scale chemical synthesis facilities which are now producing Prussian White at a kilogram scale. After a year of extensive experimentation, the team has mastered Prussian White chemistry and has developed what is likely one of the highest-quality variants produced thus far.

Thanks to a proprietary process, Macsen has achieved an impressive energy density exceeding 150 mAh/g with Prussian White, which stands on par with lithium iron phosphate (LFP). The material also exhibits excellent stability and facilitates fast sodium ion mobility due to its open crystalline structure. It's compatible with existing lithium-ion cell manufacturing infrastructure. "In terms of performance, it rivals LFP but is made from abundant, inexpensive materials like sodium and iron, which are easily accessible and free from geopolitical constraints," Agrawal noted.

Originally incubated at Macsen Labs, this project has now evolved into a separate entity, dubbed "Macsen Energy," which is focusing exclusively on energy storage innovation and growth. Agrawal highlighted, "The true potential of sodium-ion batteries extends beyond electric vehicles; it lies in large-scale energy storage that harnesses and manages renewable solar and wind energy. Here is where India’s energy transition will occur on a massive scale."

Macsen's sodium-ion technology, utilizing Prussian White as the cathode paired with a hard carbon anode, is well-suited for applications in battery energy storage systems (BESS) for the grid and solar energy, back-up systems, home inverters, short-range electric vehicles, auto rickshaws, two-wheelers, urban buses, rural microgrids, and energy access solutions.

The company is currently focused on enhancing cycle life, energy density, charge-discharge rates, and optimizing electrolyte additive systems while also aiming to reduce contributions to the overall cost of other battery cell components. Macsen’s ambition is to create economically viable form factors by innovatively combining low-cost materials, components, and manufacturing processes for large-scale stationary energy storage. An inherent cost advantage in sodium-ion technology is the use of aluminum instead of copper for cathode current collectors, which further reduces raw material costs.

To showcase the performance of Prussian White in commercial large-format cells, Macsen is establishing a pilot-scale cell manufacturing line. They are in the process of procuring equipment and aim to have the pilot production plant operational by early 2026.

"We are striving to create a new energy future for India," concluded Agrawal. "Sodium-ion batteries represent India’s opportunity to build a truly indigenous, scalable, and affordable energy storage ecosystem."

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