A membrane-free lithium/polysulfide semi-liquid battery for large-scale energy storage

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Energy & Environmental Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/c3ee00072a· OSTI ID:1108934

Yang, Yuan; Zheng, Guangyuan; Cui, Yi

Large-scale energy storage represents a key challenge for renewable energy and new systems with low cost, high energy density and long cycle life are desired. In this article, we develop a new lithium/polysulfide (Li/PS) semi-liquid battery for large-scale energy storage, with lithium polysulfide (Li{sub 2}S{sub 8}) in ether solvent as a catholyte and metallic lithium as an anode. Unlike previous work on Li/S batteries with discharge products such as solid state Li{sub 2}S{sub 2} and Li{sub 2}S, the catholyte is designed to cycle only in the range between sulfur and Li{sub 2}S{sub 4}. Consequently all detrimental effects due to the formation and volume expansion of solid Li{sub 2}S{sub 2}/Li{sub 2}S are avoided. This novel strategy results in excellent cycle life and compatibility with flow battery design. The proof-of-concept Li/PS battery could reach a high energy density of 170 W h kg{sup -1} and 190 W h L{sup -1} for large scale storage at the solubility limit, while keeping the advantages of hybrid flow batteries. We demonstrated that, with a 5 M Li{sub 2}S{sub 8} catholyte, energy densities of 97 W h kg{sup -1} and 108 W h L{sup -1} can be achieved. As the lithium surface is well passivated by LiNO{sub 3} additive in ether solvent, internal shuttle effect is largely eliminated and thus excellent performance over 2000 cycles is achieved with a constant capacity of 200 mA h g{sup -1}. This new system can operate without the expensive ion-selective membrane, and it is attractive for large-scale energy storage.

• Research Organization: Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE SC Office of Basic Energy Sciences (SC-22)
• OSTI ID: 1108934
• Journal Information: Energy & Environmental Science, Journal Name: Energy & Environmental Science Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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25 ENERGY STORAGE