Immobilizing Sulfur for Lis Batteries

Sulfur cathodes are anticipated to be the next step in cathode chemistries, providing a unique combination of low-cost active material, high energy density, and high specific capacity. With theoretical specific capacities of 1672 mAh/g, sulfur cathodes have the potential of obtaining near tenfold capacity increase over current conventional lithium-ion cathodes.

            However, the loss of soluble polysulfide intermediates results in a significant capacity fade that must be overcome. The immobilization of polysulfide intermediates to inhibit loss of active cathode material through modification of the cathode would allow for vigorous use in diffusion and convection batteries. The convection battery can be used to prevent dendritic growth on lithium anodes, which is another potential problem with lithium-sulfur cells on extended cycling. This presentation is on research to immobilize sulfur and its intermediates including analysis of the impact on cycling and performance in the convection battery.