Tuning the electrolyte network structure to invoke quasi-solid state sulfur conversion and suppress lithium dendrite formation in Li–S batteries

Quan Pang, Abhinandan Shyamsunder, Badri Narayanan, Chun Yuen Kwok, Larry A. Curtiss and Linda F. Nazar ()
Additional contact information
Quan Pang: University of Waterloo
Abhinandan Shyamsunder: University of Waterloo
Badri Narayanan: Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR)
Chun Yuen Kwok: University of Waterloo
Larry A. Curtiss: Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR)
Linda F. Nazar: University of Waterloo

Nature Energy, 2018, vol. 3, issue 9, 783-791

Abstract: Abstract The lithium–sulfur battery is promising as an alternative to conventional lithium-ion technology due to the high energy density of both sulfur and lithium metal electrodes. An extended lifetime has been demonstrated, but two notable challenges still exist to realize its full potential: to overcome the undesired high electrolyte/sulfur ratio required for the catholyte-type mechanism that governs most cell configurations, and to inhibit Li dendrite growth and its parasitic reaction with the electrolyte that results in cell degradation. Here, we demonstrate that by tuning the electrolyte structure, the challenges at both electrodes can be tackled simultaneously. Specifically, the sulfur speciation pathway transforms from a dissolution–precipitation route to a quasi-solid state conversion in the presence of a lowered solvent activity and an extended electrolyte network, curtailing the need for high electrolyte volumes. Ab initio calculations reveal the nature of the network structure. With such an optimized structure, the electrolyte allows dendrite-free Li plating and shows a 20-fold reduction in parasitic reactions with Li, which avoids electrolyte consumption and greatly extends the life time of a low electrolyte/sulfur (5 µl mg–1) sulfur cell.

Date: 2018
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-018-0214-0 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natene:v:3:y:2018:i:9:d:10.1038_s41560-018-0214-0

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/nenergy/

DOI: 10.1038/s41560-018-0214-0

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Energy is currently edited by Fouad Khan

More articles in Nature Energy from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().