Rational engineering of electrolytes for lithium–sulfur batteries

Abstract

The threatening demerits of state-of-the-art lithium-ion batteries, which include poor safety, limited availability of lithium and the presence of expensive elements such as nickel and cobalt, have accelerated extensive research to find alternatives beyond lithium-ion batteries. In the past two decades, lithium–sulfur batteries have been extensively researched, and they have entered a key stage of commercialization. However, critical issues such as self-discharge and lithium polysulfide shuttling, which are intrinsic properties of electrolytes, must be overcome. This mini review comprehensively illustrates the underpinning issues of lithium–sulfur batteries, particularly those related to electrolytes, and the strategies employed to overcome these challenges based on the articles published after 2020.