Issue 2, 2016

Sol–gel encapsulated lithium polysulfide catholyte and its application in lithium–sulfur batteries

Abstract

Lithium polysulfides are the active cathode species in lithium–sulfur batteries. In this work non-hydrolytic sol–gel chemistry is tuned to create a sol that successfully encapsulates lithium polysulfide solutions, forming a solid polysulfide gel. The chemistry of the polysulfide gel is studied using Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopies, which confirm the presence of active lithium polysulfides. This polysulfide gel is incorporated into a solid state lithium sulfur battery and cycled galvanostatically. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirms that the gel has very similar electrochemical properties to the lithium polysulfide solutions from which it was prepared. Discharge capacities as high as 1 mA h cm−2 are obtained for a polysulfide gel cathode that is 1 mm thick.

Graphical abstract: Sol–gel encapsulated lithium polysulfide catholyte and its application in lithium–sulfur batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
29 Sep 2015
Accepted
07 Dec 2015
First published
14 Dec 2015

Mater. Horiz., 2016,3, 137-144

Author version available

Sol–gel encapsulated lithium polysulfide catholyte and its application in lithium–sulfur batteries

L. C. Smith, P. Malati, J. Fang, W. Richardson, D. Ashby, C. Lai and B. S. Dunn, Mater. Horiz., 2016, 3, 137 DOI: 10.1039/C5MH00228A

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