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Title: Controlled Nucleation and Growth Process of Li2S2/Li2S in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Abstract

Lithium-sulfur battery is a promising next-generation energy storage system because of its potentially three to five times higher energy density than that of traditional lithium ion batteries. However, the dissolution and precipitation of soluble polysulfides during cycling initiate a series of key-chain reactions that significantly shorten battery life. Herein, we demonstrate that through a simple but effective strategy, significantly improved cycling performance is achieved for high sulfur loading electrodes through controlling the nucleation and precipitation of polysulfieds on the electrode surface. More than 400 or 760 stable cycling are successfully displayed in the cells with locked discharge capacity of 625 mAh g-1 or 500 mAh g-1, respectively. The nucleation and growth process of dissolved polysulfides has been electrochemically altered to confine the thickness of discharge products passivated on the cathode surface, increasing the utilization rate of sulfur while avoiding severe morphology changes on the electrode. More importantly, the exposure of new lithium metal surface to the S-containing electrolyte is also greatly reduced through this strategy, largely minimizing the anode corrosion caused by polysulfides. This work interlocks the electrode morphologies and its evolution with electrochemical interference to modulate cell performances by using Li-S system as a platform, providing different but criticalmore » directions for this community.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1094954
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-94263
Journal ID: ISSN 0013-4651; 47414; VT1201000
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of the Electrochemical Society
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 160; Journal Issue: 11; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-4651
Publisher:
The Electrochemical Society
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
25 ENERGY STORAGE; sulfur composite; capacity control; polysulfides; li-s battery; cycling stability; energy storage; Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Citation Formats

Zheng, Jianming, Gu, Meng, Wang, Chong M., Zuo, Pengjian, Koech, Phillip K., Zhang, Jiguang, Liu, Jun, and Xiao, Jie. Controlled Nucleation and Growth Process of Li2S2/Li2S in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1149/2.032311jes.
Zheng, Jianming, Gu, Meng, Wang, Chong M., Zuo, Pengjian, Koech, Phillip K., Zhang, Jiguang, Liu, Jun, & Xiao, Jie. Controlled Nucleation and Growth Process of Li2S2/Li2S in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries. United States. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.032311jes
Zheng, Jianming, Gu, Meng, Wang, Chong M., Zuo, Pengjian, Koech, Phillip K., Zhang, Jiguang, Liu, Jun, and Xiao, Jie. 2013. "Controlled Nucleation and Growth Process of Li2S2/Li2S in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries". United States. https://doi.org/10.1149/2.032311jes.
@article{osti_1094954,
title = {Controlled Nucleation and Growth Process of Li2S2/Li2S in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries},
author = {Zheng, Jianming and Gu, Meng and Wang, Chong M. and Zuo, Pengjian and Koech, Phillip K. and Zhang, Jiguang and Liu, Jun and Xiao, Jie},
abstractNote = {Lithium-sulfur battery is a promising next-generation energy storage system because of its potentially three to five times higher energy density than that of traditional lithium ion batteries. However, the dissolution and precipitation of soluble polysulfides during cycling initiate a series of key-chain reactions that significantly shorten battery life. Herein, we demonstrate that through a simple but effective strategy, significantly improved cycling performance is achieved for high sulfur loading electrodes through controlling the nucleation and precipitation of polysulfieds on the electrode surface. More than 400 or 760 stable cycling are successfully displayed in the cells with locked discharge capacity of 625 mAh g-1 or 500 mAh g-1, respectively. The nucleation and growth process of dissolved polysulfides has been electrochemically altered to confine the thickness of discharge products passivated on the cathode surface, increasing the utilization rate of sulfur while avoiding severe morphology changes on the electrode. More importantly, the exposure of new lithium metal surface to the S-containing electrolyte is also greatly reduced through this strategy, largely minimizing the anode corrosion caused by polysulfides. This work interlocks the electrode morphologies and its evolution with electrochemical interference to modulate cell performances by using Li-S system as a platform, providing different but critical directions for this community.},
doi = {10.1149/2.032311jes},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1094954}, journal = {Journal of the Electrochemical Society},
issn = {0013-4651},
number = 11,
volume = 160,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Sep 19 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Thu Sep 19 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}