Non-encapsulation approach for high-performance Li–S batteries through controlled nucleation and growth

Pan, Huilin; Chen, Junzheng; Cao, Ruiguo; Murugesan, Vijay; Rajput, Nav Nidhi; Han, Kee Sung; Persson, Kristin; Estevez, Luis; Engelhard, Mark H.; Zhang, Ji-Guang; Mueller, Karl T.; Cui, Yi; Shao, Yuyan; Liu, Jun

doi:10.1038/s41560-017-0005-z

Title: Non-encapsulation approach for high-performance Li–S batteries through controlled nucleation and growth

Journal Article · Mon Sep 25 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Nature Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-017-0005-z· OSTI ID:1406738

;

; Cao, Ruiguo; Murugesan, Vijay;

;

; Persson, Kristin; Estevez, Luis;

;

; Mueller, Karl T.; Cui, Yi;

; Liu, Jun

Sulfur encapsulation in high surface area, nanoporous carbon is currently the most widely studied approach to improve the cycling stability of Li-S batteries. However, the relatively large amount of high surface area carbon decreases the overall volumetric energy density in the system and makes it difficult to compete with other battery chemistries. In this paper, we report a new approach that does not depend on sulfur encapsulation and high surface area carbon. We investigate the nucleation and deposition of sulfur using low surface area carbon in the cathode (surface area 17 m2 g-1). Optimization of the solvent properties and the deposition condition produce large spherical porous agglomerated particles rather than thin films. A solution mediated nucleation and growth mechanism is identified to form the large porous polysulfide particles. This new mechanism leads to close to 100% sulfur utilization, almost no capacity fading, over 99% coulombic efficacy, and high energy density (2350 Wh kg-1 and 2600 Wh L-1 based on overall mass/volume of cathode). This study may open a fundamentally new approach of using a low surface area carbon host for designing high energy Li-S battery by controlling the nucleation/growth pathway and morphology of sulfur species.

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Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

DOE Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 1406738

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA-123317; 48877; KC0208010

Journal Information:: Nature Energy, Vol. 2, Issue 10; ISSN 2058-7546

Publisher:: Nature Publishing Group

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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