Tuning the solubility of polysulfides for constructing practical lithium-sulfur battery

Li-S batteries are regarded as one of the most promising candidates for next-generation battery systems with high energy density and low cost.However,the dissolution-precipitation reaction mechanism of the sulfur(S)cathode enhances the kinetics of the redox processes of the insulating sulfu r,which also arouses the notorious shuttle effect,leading to serious loss of S species and corrosion of Li anode.To get a balance between the shuttle restraining and the kinetic property,a combined strategy of electrolyte regulation and cathode modification is proposed via introducing 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethyl-2,2,3,3-tetrafluoroprpyl ether(HFE)instead of 1,2-dimethoxyethane(DME),and SeS_(7)instead of S_8.The introduction of HFE tunes the solvation structure of the LiTFSI and the dissolution of intermediate polysulfides with Se doping(LiPSSes),and optimize the interface stability of the Li anode simultaneously.The minor Se substitution compensates the decrease in kinetic due to the decreased solubility of LiPSs.In this way,the Li-SeS_(7)batteries deliver a reversible capacity of 1062 and 1037 mAh g^(-1)with 2.0 and 5.5 mg SeS_(7)cm^(-2)loading condition,respectively.Besides,an electrolyte-electrode loading model is established to explain the relationship between the optimal electrolyte and cathode loading.It makes more sense to guide the electrolyte design for practical Li-S batteries.

Premature deposition of lithium polysulfide in lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries have attracted extensive attention due to ultrahigh theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg^(-1).Liquid-solid deposition from dissolved lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)to solid lithium sulfide(Li_(2)S)largely determines the actual battery performances.Herein,a premature liquidsolid deposition process of LiPSs is revealed at higher thermodynamic potential than Li_(2)S deposition in Li-S batteries.The premature solid deposit exhibits higher chemical state and hemispherical morphology in comparison with Li_(2)S,and the premature deposition process is slower in kinetics and higher in deposition dimension.Accordingly,a supersaturation deposition mechanism is proposed to rationalize the above findings based on thermodynamic simulation.This work demonstrates a unique premature liquid-solid deposition process of Li-S batteries.

Engineering Strategies for Suppressing the Shuttle Effect in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur(Li–S)batteries are supposed to be one of the most potential next-generation batteries owing to their high theoretical capacity and low cost.Nevertheless,the shuttle effect of firm multi-step two-electron reaction between sulfur and lithium in liquid electrolyte makes the capacity much smaller than the theoretical value.Many methods were proposed for inhibiting the shuttle effect of polysulfide,improving corresponding redox kinetics and enhancing the integral performance of Li–S batteries.Here,we will comprehensively and systematically summarize the strategies for inhibiting the shuttle effect from all components of Li–S batteries.First,the electrochemical principles/mechanism and origin of the shuttle effect are described in detail.Moreover,the efficient strategies,including boosting the sulfur conversion rate of sulfur,confining sulfur or lithium polysulfides(LPS)within cathode host,confining LPS in the shield layer,and preventing LPS from contacting the anode,will be discussed to suppress the shuttle effect.Then,recent advances in inhibition of shuttle effect in cathode,electrolyte,separator,and anode with the aforementioned strategies have been summarized to direct the further design of efficient materials for Li–S batteries.Finally,we present prospects for inhibition of the LPS shuttle and potential development directions in Li–S batteries.

Nanoscale transition metal catalysts anchored on perovskite oxide enabling enhanced kinetics of lithium polysulfide redox in lithium-sulfur batteries

To obtain high-performance lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries,it is necessary to rationally design electrocatalytic materials that can promote efficient sulfur electrochemical reactions.Herein,the robust heterostructured material of nanoscale transition metal anchored on perovskite oxide was designed for efficient catalytic kinetics of the oxidation and reduction reactions of lithium polysulphide(Li PSs),and verified by density functional theory(DFT)calculations and experimental characterizations.Due to the strong interaction of nanoscale transition metals with Li PSs through chemical coupling,heterostructured materials(STO@M)(M=Fe,Ni,Cu)exhibit excellent catalytic activity for redox reactions of Li PSs.The bifunctional heterostructure material STO@Fe exhibits good rate performance and cycling stability as the cathode host,realizing a high-performance Li-S battery that can maintain stable cycling under rapid charge-discharge cycling.This study presents a novel approach to designing electrocatalytic materials for redox reactions of Li PSs,which promotes the development of fast charge-discharge Li-S batteries.

Concurrent hetero-/homo-geneous electrocatalysts to bi-phasically mediate sulfur species for lithium-sulfur batteries

Expediting redox kinetics of sulfur species on conductive scaffolds with limited charge accessible surface is considered as an imperative approach to realize energy-dense and power-intensive lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries.In this work,the concept of concurrent hetero-/homo-geneous electrocatalysts is proposed to simultaneously mediate liquid-solid conversion of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)and solid lithium disulfide/sulfide(Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S)propagation,the latter of which suffers from sluggish reduction kinetics due to buried conductive scaffold surface by extensive deposition of Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S.The selected model material to verify this concept is a two-in-one catalyst:carbon nanotube(CNT)scaffold supported iron-cobalt(Fe-Co)alloy nanoparticles and partially carbonized selenium(C-Se)component.The Fe-Co alloy serves as a heterogeneous electrocatalyst to seed Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S through sulphifilic active sites,while the C-Se sustainably releases soluble lithium polyselenides and functions as a homogeneous electrocatalyst to propagate Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S via solution pathways.Such bi-phasic mediation of the sulfur species benefits reduction kinetics of LiPS conversion,especially for the massive Li_(2)S_(2)/Li_(2)S growth scenario by affording an additional solution directed route in case of conductive surface being largely buried.This strategy endows the Li-S batteries with improved cycling stability(836 mA h g^(-1)after 180 cycles),rate capability(547 mA h g^(-1)at 4 C)and high sulfur loading superiority(2.96 mA h cm^(-2)at 2.4 mg cm^(-2)).This work hopes to enlighten the employment of bi-phasic electrocatalysts to dictate liquid-solid transformation of intermediates for conversion chemistry batteries.

Effect of the anionic composition of sulfolane based electrolytes on the performances of lithium-sulfur batteries

In lithium-sulfur batteries,cell design,specifically electrolyte design,has a key impact on the battery performance.The effect of lithium salt anion donor number(DN)(DN[PF_(6)]^(-)=2.5,DN[N(SO_(2)CF_(3))_(2)]^(-)=5.4,DN[ClO_(4)]^(-)=8.4,DN[SO_(3)CF_(3)]^(-)=16.9,and DN[NO_(3)]^(-)=21.1)on the patterns of lithium-sulfur batteries and lithium metal electrode performances with sulfola ne-based electrolytes is investigated.An increase in DN of lithium salt anions leads to an increase in the depth and rate of electrochemical reduction of sulfur and long-chain lithium polysulfides and to a decrease in those for medium-and short-chain lithium polysulfides.DN of lithium salt anions has weak effect on the discharge capacity of lithium-sulfur batteries and the Coulomb efficiency during cycling,with the exception of LiSO_(3)CF_(3)and LiNO_(3).An increase in DN of lithium salt anions leads to an increase in the cycling duration of lithium metal anodes and to a decrease in the presence of lithium polysulfides.In sulfolane solutions of LiNO_(3)and LiSO_(3)CF_(3),lithium polysulfides do not affect the cycling duration of lithium metal anodes.

Bimetallic Metal-Organic Framework with High-Adsorption Capacity toward Lithium Polysulfides for Lithium–sulfur Batteries

The practical application of Li-S batteries is largely impeded by the“shuttle effect”generated at the cathode which results in a short life cycle of the battery.To address this issue,this work discloses a bimetallic metal-organic framework(MOF)as a sulfur host material based on Al-MOF,commonly called(Al)MIL-53.To obtain a high-adsorption capacity to lithium polysulfides(Li_(2)S_(x),4≤x≤8),we present an effective strategy to incorporate sulfiphilic metal ion(Cu^(2+))with high-binding energy to Li_(2)S_(x) into the framework.Through a one-step hydrothermal method,Cu^(2+) is homogeneously dispersed in Al-MOF,producing a bimetallic Al/Cu-MOF as advanced cathode material.The macroscopic Li2S4 solution permeation test indicates that the Al/Cu-MOF has better adsorption capacity to lithium polysulfides than monometallic Al-MOF.The sulfur-transfusing process is executed via a melt-diffusion method to obtain the sulfur-containing Al/CuMOF(Al/Cu-MOF-S).The assembled Li-S batteries with Al/Cu-MOF-S yield improved cyclic performance,much better than that of monometallic AlMOF as sulfur host.It is shown that chemical immobilization is an effective method for polysulfide adsorption than physical confinement and the bimetallic Al/Cu-MOF,formed by incorporation of sulfiphilic Cu^(2+) into porous MOF,will provide a novel and powerful approach for efficient sulfur host materials.

Constructing a 700 Wh kg^(-1)-level rechargeable lithium-sulfur pouch cell

Lithium–sulfur(Li–S)batteries are considered as highly promising energy storage devices because of their ultrahigh theoretical energy density of 2600 Wh kg^(-1).The highest practical energy density of Li–S batteries reported at pouch cell level has exceeded 500 Wh kg^(-1),which significantly surpasses that of lithium-ion batteries.Herein,a 700 Wh kg^(-1)-level Li–S pouch cell is successfully constructed.The pouch cell is designed at 6 Ah level with high-sulfur-loading cathodes of 7.4 mgScm^(-2),limited anode excess(50μm in thickness),and lean electrolyte(electrolyte to sulfur ratio of 1.7 gelectrolyteg^(-1)S).Accordingly,an ultrahigh specific capacity of 1563 m A h g^(-1)is achieved with the addition of a redox comediator to afford a practical energy density of 695 Wh kg^(-1)based on the total mass of all components.The pouch cell can operate stably for three cycles and then failed due to rapidly increased polarization at the second discharge plateau.According to failure analysis,electrolyte exhaustion is suggested as the key limiting factor.This work achieves a significant breakthrough in constructing high-energy-density Li–S batteries and propels the development of Li–S batteries toward practical working conditions.

Inhibiting shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides by double metal selenides for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)have attracted the attention of more and more researchers due to the advantages of high energy density,environmental friendliness,and low production cost.However,the low electronic conductivity of active material and shuttling effect of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)limit the commercial development of LSBs.To solve these problems,we design a core-shell composite with nitrogen-doped carbon(NC)and two types of selenides(FeSe_(2)-NC@ZnSe-NC).The FeSe_(2)-NC@ZnSe-NC has a strong adsorption capacity,and can effectively adsorb LiPSs.At the same time,it also effectively alleviates the shuttling effect of LiPSs,and improves the utilization of the active substance during the charge/discharge reaction processes.The mechanism involved in FeSe_(2)-NC@ZnSe-NC is demonstrated by both experiments and density-functional theory(DFT)calculations.The electrochemical test results indicate that LSB with S/FeSe_(2)-NC@ZnSe-NC delivers an initial discharge capacity of 1260 mAh·g^(-1)at 0.2C.And after 500 cycles at 1C,the capacity decay rate per cycle is 0.031%,and the capacity retention rate is 85%.The FeSe_(2)-NC@ZnSe-NC core-shell structure verifies a rational strategy to construct an electrode material for high-performance LSBs.

Interface-induced polymerization strategy for constructing titanium dioxide embedded carbon porous framework with enhanced chemical immobilization towards lithium polysulfides

The shuttle effect induced by soluble lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)is known as one of the crucial issues that limit the practical applications of lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries.Herein,a titanium dioxide nanoparticle embedded in nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanofiber(TiO_(2)@NCNF)composite is constructed via an interface-induced polymerization strategy to serve as an ideal sulfur host.Under the protection of the nanofiber walls,the uniformly dispersed TiO_(2) nanocrystalline can act as capturing centers to constantly immobilize LiPSs towards durable sulfur chemistry.Besides,the mesoporous microstructure in the fibrous framework endows the TiO_(2)@NCNF host with strong physical reservation for sulfur and LiPSs,sufficient pathways for electron/ion transfer,and excellent endurance for volume change.As expected,the sulfur-loaded TiO_(2)@NCNF composite electrode presents a fabulous rate performance and long cycle lifespan(capacity fading rate of 0.062%per cycle over 500 cycles)at 2.0 C.Furthermore,the assembled Li-S batteries harvest superb areal capacity and cycling stability even under high sulfur loading and lean electrolyte conditions.

Advanced chemical strategies for lithium-sulfur batteries: A review

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S) battery has been considered as one of the most promising rechargeable batteries among various energy storage devices owing to the attractive ultrahigh theoretical capacity and low cost. However, the performance of Li-S batteries is still far from theoretical prediction because of the inherent insulation of sulfur, shuttling of soluble polysulfides, swelling of cathode volume and the formation of lithium dendrites. Significant efforts have been made to trap polysulfides via physical strategies using carbon based materials, but the interactions between polysulfides and carbon are so weak that the device performance is limited. Chemical strategies provide the relatively complemented routes for improving the batteries' electrochemical properties by introducing strong interactions between functional groups and lithium polysulfides. Therefore, this review mainly discusses the recent advances in chemical absorption for improving the performance of Li-S batteries by introducing functional groups(oxygen, nitrogen, and boron, etc.) and chemical additives(metal, polymers, etc.) to the carbon structures, and how these foreign guests immobilize the dissolved polysulfides.

Dual redox catalysis of VN/nitrogen-doped graphene nanocomposites for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries are regarded as one of the promising candidates for the next-generation energy storage system owing to their high capacity and energy density.However,the durable operation for the batteries is blocked by the shuttle behavior of soluble lithium polysulfides and the sluggish kinetics in the redox process.Here,VN nanoparticles on nitrogen-doped graphene(VN/NG)composite is synthesized by simple calcining method to modify the separators,which can not only chemically trap polysulfides,but also catalyze the conversion reaction between the polysulfides and the insoluble Li2S during the charge/discharge process.The catalytic effects of VN/NG are verified by the calculated activation energy(E_(a)),which is smaller than the counterpart with NG toward both directions of redox.Because of the synergistic adsorption-catalysis of VN/NG,the cells with VN/NG-modified separators deliver a superior rate performance(791 mAh g^(-1) at 5C)and cycling stability(863 mAh g^(-1) after 300 cycles with a low decaying rate of 0.068%per loop at 1C).This work provides a simple preparation strategy and fundamental understanding of the bifunctional catalyst for high-performance Li-S batteries.

A quantum-chemical study on the discharge reaction mechanism of lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries have attracted a great interest in electrochemical energy conversion and storage, but their discharge mechanism remains not well understood up to now. Here, we report density functional theory （DFr） calculation study of the discharge mechanism for lithium-sulfur batteries which are based on the structure of $8 and Li2Sx （l_〈x〈_8） clusters. The results show that for LizSz （1 〈x_8） clusters, the most stable geometry is chainlike when x = 1 and 6, while the minimal-energy structure is found to be cyclic when x = 2-5, 7, 8. The stability of LizSx （l_〈x_〈 8） clusters increases with the decreasing x value, indicating a favorable thermodynamic tendency of transition from $8 to Li2S. A three-step reaction route has been proposed during the discharge process, that is, $8---~Li2S4 at about 2.30 V, Li2S4---~Li2S2 at around 2.22 V, and Li2S2 ~ Li2S at 2.18 V. Furthermore, the effect of the electrolyte on the potential platform has been also investigated. The discharge potential is found to increase with the decrease of dielectric constant of the electrolyte. The computational results could provide insights into further understanding the discharge mechanism of lithium-sulfur batteries.

A systematic correlation between morphology of porous carbon cathode and electrolyte in lithium-sulfur battery

Porous carbon has been applied for lithium-sulfur battery cathodes,and carbonized metal-organic framework(MOF)is advantageous in tuning the morphology.Herein,we have systematically synthesized water-distorted MOF(WDM)derived porous carbon via controlling the proportion of both water in a mixed solvent(dimethylformamide and water)and ligand in MOF-5 precursors(metal and ligand),which is categorized by its morphology(i.e.Cracked stone(closed),Tassel(open)and Intermediate(semi-open)).For example,decrease in water and increase in ligand content induce Cracked stone WDMs which showed the highest specific surface area(2742-2990 m^(2)/g)and pore volume(2.81-3.28 cm^(3)/g)after carbonization.Morphological effect of carbonized WDMs(CWDMs)on battery performance was examined by introducing electrolytes with different sulfur reduction mechanisms(i.e.DOL/DME and ACN_(2) LiTFSITTE):Closed framework effectively confines polysulfide,whereas open framework enhances electrolyte accessibility.The initial capacities of the batteries were in the following order:Cracked stone>Intermediate>Tassel for DOL/DME and Intermediate>Tassel>Cracked stone for ACN_(2) LiTFSI-TTE.To note,Intermediate CWDM exhibited the highest initial capacity and retained capacity after 100 cycles(1398 and 747 mAh/g)in ACN_(2) LiTFSI-TTE electrolyte having advantages from both open and closed frameworks.In sum,we could correlate cathode morphology(openness and pore structure)and electrolyte type(i.e.polysulfide solubility)with lithium-sulfur battery performance.

Ether-compatible lithium sulfur batteries with robust performance via selenium doping

The increasing demand of the green energy storage system encourages us to develop a higher energy storage system to take the place of the present lithium-ion batteries with limited energy/power densities[1,2].Among the diverse candidates。

Isolated diatomic Zn-Co metal–nitrogen/oxygen sites with synergistic effect on fast catalytic kinetics of sulfur species in Li-S battery

Lithium-sulfur batteries are severely restricted by low electronic conductivity of sulfur and Li_(2)S,shuttle effect,and slow conversion reaction of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs).Herein,we report a facile and highyield strategy for synthesizing dual-core single-atom catalyst(ZnCoN_(4)O_(2)/CN)with atomically dispersed nitrogen/oxygen-coordinated Zn-Co sites on carbon nanosheets.Based on density functional theory(DFT)calculations and LiPSs conversion catalytic ability,ZnCoN_(4)O_(2)/CN provides dual-atom sites of Zn and Co,which could facilitate Li^(+)transport and Li_(2)S diffusion,and catalyze LiPSs conversion more effectively than homonuclear bimetallic single-atom catalysts or their simple mixture and previously reported singleatom catalysts.Li-S cell with ZnCoN_(4)O_(2)/CN modified separator showed excellent rate performance(789.4 mA h g^(-1)at 5 C)and stable long cycle performance(0.05%capacity decay rate at 6C with 1000cycles,outperforming currently reported single atomic catalysts for LiPSs conversion.This work highlights the important role of metal active centers and provides a strategy for producing multifunctional dual-core single atom catalysts for high-performance Li-S cells.

Performance optimization of chalcogenide catalytic materials in lithium-sulfur batteries:Structural and electronic engineering

Lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)boasting remarkable energy density have garnered significant attention within academic and industrial spheres.Nevertheless,the progression of LSBs remains constrained by the languid redox kinetics intrinsic to sulfur and the pronounced shuttle effect induced by lithium polysulfides(Li PSs),which seriously affecting the energy density,cycling life and rate capacity.The conceptualization and implementation of catalytic materials stand acknowledged as a propitious stratagem for orchestrating kinetic modulation,particularly in excavating the conversion of LiPSs and has evolved into a focal point for disposing.Among them,chalcogenide catalytic materials(CCMs)have shown satisfactory catalytic effects ascribe to the unique physicochemical properties,and have been extensively developed in recent years.Considering the lack of systematic summary regarding the development of CCMs and corresponding performance optimization strategies,herein,we initiate a comprehensive review regarding the recent progress of CCMs for effective collaborative immobilization and accelerated transformation kinetics of Li PSs.Following that,the modulation strategies to improve the catalytic activity of CCMs are summarized,including structural engineering(morphology engineering,surface/interface engineering,crystal engineering)and electronic engineering(doping and vacancy,etc.).Finally,the application prospect of CCMs in LSBs is clarified,and some enlightenment is provided for the reasonable design of CCMs serving practical LSBs.

Catalyzing polysulfide conversion by g-C3N4 in a graphene network for long-life lithium-sulfur batteries

The practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries with a high energy density has been plagued by the poor cycling stability of the sulfur cathode, which is a result of the insulating nature of sulfur and the dissolution of polysulfides. Much work has been done to construct nanostructured or doped carbon as a porous or polar host for promising sulfur cathodes, although restricting the polysulfide shuttle effect by improving the redox reaction kinetics is more attractive. Herein, we present a well-designed strategy by introducing graphitic carbon nitride （g-C3N4） into a three-dimensional hierarchical porous graphene assembly to achieve a synergistic combination of confinement and catalyzation of polysulfides. The porous g-CBN4 nanosheets in situ formed inside the graphene network afford a highly accessible surface to catalyze the transformation of polysulfides, and the hierarchical porous graphene-assembled carbon can function as a conductive network and provide appropriate space for g-C3N4 catalysis in the sulfur cathode. Thus, this hybrid can effectively improve sulfur utilization and block the dissolution of polysulfides, achieving excellent cycling performance for sulfur cathodes in lithium-sulfur batteries.

Suitable lithium polysulfides diffusion and adsorption on CNTs@TiO_(2)-bronze nanosheets surface for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

The shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides(UPSs)in lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)has been hampered their commercialization.Metal oxides as separator modifications can suppress the shuttle effect.Since there is no direct electron transport between metal oxides and UPSs,absorbed UPSs should be diffused from the surface of metal oxides to the carbon matrix to go through redox reactions.If diffusivity of UPSs from metal oxides surface to carbon substrate is poor,it would hinder the redox reactions of LiPSs.Nevertheless,researchers tend to focus on the adsorption and overlook the diffusion of UPSs.Herein,same morphology and different crystal phase of TiO_(2) nanosheets grown on carbon nanotubes(CNTs@TiO_(2)-bronze and CNTs@TiO_(2)-anatase)have been designed via a simple approach.Compared with CNTs and CNTs@TiO_(2)-anatase composites,the battery with CNTs@TiO_(2)-bronze modified separator delivers higher specific capacities and stronger cycling stability,especially at high current rates(~472 mAh·g^(-1) at 2.0 C after 1,000 cycles).Adsorption tests,density functional theory calculations and electrochemical performance evaluations indicate that suitable diffusion and adsorption for LiPSs on the CNTs@TiO_(2)-B surface can effectively capture LiPSs and promote the redox reaction,leading to the superior cycling performances.

Ion shielding functional separator using halloysite containing a negative functional moiety for stability improvement of Li–S batteries

Lithium–sulfur batteries are one of the attractive next-generation energy storage systems owing to theienvironmental friendliness,low cost,and high specific energy densities.However,the low electrical conductivity of sulfur,shuttling of soluble intermediate polysulfides between electrodes,and low capacitretention have hampered their commercial use.To address these issues,we use a halloysitemodulated(H-M)separator in a lithium–sulfur battery to mitigate the shuttling problem.The H-M separator acts as a mutual Coulombic repulsion in lithium-sulfur batteries,thereby selectively permitting Lions and efficiently suppressing the transfer of undesired lithium polysulfides to the Li anode sideMoreover,the use of halloysite switches the surface of the separator from hydrophobic to hydrophilicconsequently improving the electrolyte wettability and adhesion between the separator and cathodeWhen sulfur-multi-walled carbon nanotube(S-MWCNT)composites are used as cathode active materialsa lithium–sulfur battery with an H-M separator exhibits first discharge and charge capacities of 1587 an1527 m Ah g-1,respectively.Moreover,there is a consistent capacity retention up to 100 cyclesAccordingly,our approach demonstrates an economical and easily accessible strategy for commercialization of lithium–sulfur batteries.