Supercooled liquid sulfur maintained in three-dimensional current collector for high-performance Li-S batteries.

ABSTRACT: In lithium-sulfur (Li-S) chemistry, the electrically/ionically insulating nature of sulfur and Li₂S leads to sluggish electron/ion transfer kinetics for sulfur species conversion. Sulfur and Li₂S are recognized as solid at room temperature, and solid-liquid phase transitions are the limiting steps in Li-S batteries. Here, we visualize the distinct sulfur growth behaviors on Al, carbon, Ni current collectors and demonstrate that (i) liquid sulfur generated on Ni provides higher reversible capacity, faster kinetics, and better cycling life compared to solid sulfur; and (ii) Ni facilitates the phase transition (e.g., Li₂S decomposition). Accordingly, light-weight, 3D Ni-based current collector is designed to control the deposition and catalytic conversion of s

SUBMITTER: Zhou G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7244266 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature