Hybrid polymer network cathode-enabled soluble-polysulfide-free lithium–sulfur batteries

Liao, Meng; Xu, Yaobin; Rahman, Muhammad Mominur; Tan, Sha; Wang, Daiwei; Wang, Ke; Dandu, Naveen K.; Lu, Qian; Li, Guoxing; Le, Linh; Kou, Rong; Jiang, Heng; Nguyen, Au; Shi, Pei; Ye, Lei; Ngo, Anh T.; Hu, Enyuan; Wang, Chongmin; Wang, Donghai

doi:10.1038/s41893-024-01453-0

Hybrid polymer network cathode-enabled soluble-polysulfide-free lithium–sulfur batteries

Journal Article · Tue Oct 22 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Nature Sustainability

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-024-01453-0· OSTI ID:2478770

^[1]; ^[2]; Rahman, Muhammad Mominur ^[3]; ^[3]; ^[1]; Wang, Ke ^[1]; Dandu, Naveen K. ^[4]; ^[1]; ^[1]; Le, Linh ^[1]; Kou, Rong ^[1]; Jiang, Heng ^[1]; Nguyen, Au ^[1]; Shi, Pei ^[1]; Ye, Lei ^[1]; Ngo, Anh T. ^[4]; ^[3]; ^[2]; ^[5]

Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL (United States); Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Southern Methodist Univ., Dallas, TX (United States)

Among the emerging 'beyond lithium-ion' technologies for maximized sustainability, lithium-sulfur (Li-S) is a favoured chemistry because of its exceptional energy density from the conversion of sulfur, an element in abundant supply. However, the dissolution of several intermediate polysulfides formed during conversion leads to rapid performance degradation over cycling. Here, in this study, we address this issue by sulfurizing a hybrid polymer network with polyphosphazene and carbon as a cathode for Li-S batteries. With rich sites to re-bond and adsorb dissociative sulfur species, this hybrid polymer network circumvents the formation of soluble polysulfides and enables a unique, reversible inserting conversion reaction. Thus, our cathode delivers both high capacity (~900 mAh g^-1_cathode) and excellent cycling stability in Li-S coin cells, with a pouch cell demonstration of projected energy density of ~300 Wh kg^-1 and 84.9% capacity retention after 150 cycles. The strategy can be extended to other cost-effective, recyclable polymers, advancing sulfur-based batteries towards practical energy storage application.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830; EE0009650; SC0012704

OSTI ID:: 2478770

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2527287

Report Number(s):: BNL--226367-2024-JAAM; PNNL-SA--201383

Journal Information:: Nature Sustainability, Journal Name: Nature Sustainability Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 7; ISSN 2398-9629

Publisher:: Springer NatureCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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