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Title: Hierarchical sulfur electrodes as a testing platform for understanding the high-loading capability of Li-S batteries

Abstract

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered as an attractive electrochemical energy storage system due to the high theoretical capacity of sulfur (1,675 mA h g-1). However, high-loading sulfur cathodes would need to be employed for the Li-S cells to be practical, but the resulting poor cell cyclability and severe electrode degradation hamper their development. Here in this paper, we present a hierarchical sulfur cathode as a testing platform for understanding the high-loading capability of Li-S batteries. The hierarchical cathode presents good electrochemical utilization of above 70%, stable cyclability for 500–1,000 cycles, and high sulfur loadings of 4.2–10.0 mg cm-2. The exploration of the activation and the polysulfide-retention processes of the high-loading cathodes illustrates that the electrochemical stability mainly results from the stabilization of dissolved polysulfides within the cathode region as the electrochemically active catholyte. Therefore, the utilization of stabilized polysulfide migration might be a meaningful opportunity for designing high-loading cathodes and further improving their electrochemical stability and long-term cyclability.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Materials Science and Engineering Program & Texas Materials Inst.
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
OSTI Identifier:
1487250
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1397464
Grant/Contract Number:  
EE0007218; EE007218
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Power Sources
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 334; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0378-7753
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
25 ENERGY STORAGE

Citation Formats

Chung, Sheng-Heng, Chang, Chi-Hao, and Manthiram, Arumugam. Hierarchical sulfur electrodes as a testing platform for understanding the high-loading capability of Li-S batteries. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.10.023.
Chung, Sheng-Heng, Chang, Chi-Hao, & Manthiram, Arumugam. Hierarchical sulfur electrodes as a testing platform for understanding the high-loading capability of Li-S batteries. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.10.023
Chung, Sheng-Heng, Chang, Chi-Hao, and Manthiram, Arumugam. Wed . "Hierarchical sulfur electrodes as a testing platform for understanding the high-loading capability of Li-S batteries". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.10.023. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1487250.
@article{osti_1487250,
title = {Hierarchical sulfur electrodes as a testing platform for understanding the high-loading capability of Li-S batteries},
author = {Chung, Sheng-Heng and Chang, Chi-Hao and Manthiram, Arumugam},
abstractNote = {Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered as an attractive electrochemical energy storage system due to the high theoretical capacity of sulfur (1,675 mA h g-1). However, high-loading sulfur cathodes would need to be employed for the Li-S cells to be practical, but the resulting poor cell cyclability and severe electrode degradation hamper their development. Here in this paper, we present a hierarchical sulfur cathode as a testing platform for understanding the high-loading capability of Li-S batteries. The hierarchical cathode presents good electrochemical utilization of above 70%, stable cyclability for 500–1,000 cycles, and high sulfur loadings of 4.2–10.0 mg cm-2. The exploration of the activation and the polysulfide-retention processes of the high-loading cathodes illustrates that the electrochemical stability mainly results from the stabilization of dissolved polysulfides within the cathode region as the electrochemically active catholyte. Therefore, the utilization of stabilized polysulfide migration might be a meaningful opportunity for designing high-loading cathodes and further improving their electrochemical stability and long-term cyclability.},
doi = {10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.10.023},
journal = {Journal of Power Sources},
number = C,
volume = 334,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Wed Oct 12 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}

Journal Article:

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Cited by: 40 works
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Figures / Tables:

Figure 1 Figure 1: Physical and chemical analysis of the carbon-film shield: (a) SEM, (b) Raman spectrum, and (c) electrochemical analysis. (d) Electrode configuration of the hierarchical cathodes with increasing sulfur loadings of 4.2, 6.3, 8.3, and 10.0 mg cm -2 .

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Figures/Tables have been extracted from DOE-funded journal article accepted manuscripts.