Reasons for the effect of the amount of electrolyte on the performance of lithium–sulfur cells

As is known, the depth of the electrochemical reduction of sulfur and lithium polysulfides, the reduction rate, and the cycle life of lithium–sulfur cells decrease with the electrolyte content. The present paper studies the reasons for the effect of the amount of electrolyte on the depth of sulfur reduction and the cycle life of lithium–sulfur cells. The main reason for the effect of the amount of electrolyte on the depth of the electrochemical reduction of sulfur was shown to be the generation of solvate complexes of lithium polysulfides. The minimum amount of electrolyte required for complete reduction of sulfur during the discharge of lithium–sulfur cells is determined by the composition of the generated solvate complexes of lithium polysulfides. The solvate numbers of the lithium ion in the solvate complexes of lithium polysulfides generted in sulfolane electrolyte systems were evaluated from the experimental data. An analysis of the results shows that the minimum solvate number of lithium ions in the solvate complexes of lithium polysulfides with sulfolane is 1.     

锂-硫电池研究现状及展望

锂-硫电池由于具有高比能量以及硫廉价易得等优势而受到人们的广泛关注. 但其实际应用仍面临着来自于正极、电解液以及负极等方面的诸多挑战,具体包括硫正极的溶解、多硫化合物的“穿梭效应”及金属锂负极的枝晶问题. 本文以课题组近期的研究结果为主线,综述了近两年来关于锂-硫电池的研究进展,重点探讨了碳硫复合物正极、硫化锂正极、复合隔膜设计和电解液方面的研究进展,并总结了各方面存在的问题.     

介孔碳纳米纤维-硫作为锂硫电池正极材料

锂硫电池的商用化受到硫和多硫化锂低的电导率、多硫化锂在有机电解液中的溶解、放电过程中硫的体积膨胀等因素的制约。我们通过自模板法制备了具有石墨化孔壁结构的介孔碳纳米纤维（MCNF）,并利用这种结构将硫和多硫化锂封装在碳骨架内。具有石墨化孔壁结构的一维MCNF能够在循环中为硫和多硫化锂提供良好的导电网络。MCNF中小的介孔能够抑制长链多硫化锂的扩散。另外,MCNF大的孔容能够负载比较多的硫,并且能够为硫的放电膨胀提供足够的纳米空间。本工作制备的MCNF-硫纳米复合材料在0.8A·g^-1的电流密度下,经过100次循环后仍有820mAh·g^-1的比容量。     

介孔碳纳米纤维-硫作为锂硫电池正极材料(英文)

锂硫电池的商用化受到硫和多硫化锂低的电导率、多硫化锂在有机电解液中的溶解、放电过程中硫的体积膨胀等因素的制约。我们通过自模板法制备了具有石墨化孔壁结构的介孔碳纳米纤维(MCNF),并利用这种结构将硫和多硫化锂封装在碳骨架内。具有石墨化孔壁结构的一维MCNF能够在循环中为硫和多硫化锂提供良好的导电网络。MCNF中小的介孔能够抑制长链多硫化锂的扩散。另外,MCNF大的孔容能够负载比较多的硫,并且能够为硫的放电膨胀提供足够的纳米空间。本工作制备的MCNF-硫纳米复合材料在0.8 A·g-1的电流密度下,经过100次循环后仍有820 mAh·g-1的比容量。     

有机硫化合物在锂硫电池中的应用

锂硫电池具有理论能量密度高、环境友好和成本低等优点,有望成为替代锂离子电池的新一代储能系统。然而,锂硫电池充放电产物的绝缘性、可溶性多硫化锂的穿梭效应、硫正极体积膨胀及锂枝晶的不可控生长,严重影响了锂硫电池的实际容量发挥和循环稳定性。为解决上述问题,采用有机硫化合物来替代单质硫作为正极材料是有前途的策略。调控有机硫化合物的硫链、碳链及其相互作用,可改变其电化学反应过程,提高离子/电子电导,抑制穿梭效应。有机硫化合物作为电解液添加剂,可调控硫正极的反应过程并保护金属锂负极,作为聚合物电解质的改性链段可加速锂离子传导。本综述对有机硫化合物在锂硫电池的正极、电解液添加剂和固态电解质中的应用研究进展进行详细的阐述。将有机硫化合物的结构、反应机理和电化学性质联系起来,为解决锂硫电池存在的问题提供见解。最后,提出高性能有机硫化合物的设计合成和机理研究思路,以期实现可实用化的锂硫电池。     

石墨烯作为硫载体在锂硫电池中的研究进展

锂硫电池因其超高的理论能量密度以及硫资源丰富、成本低廉、无毒的优点,被认为是极具发展潜力与应用前景的新一代储能设备。然而,硫正极导电性差、体积膨胀以及穿梭效应严重等问题严重制约了其商业化应用。石墨烯具有高比表面积、高导电性和高柔韧性,并且易于进行表面化学修饰及组装,是一种理想的硫载体材料。本文主要综述了近年来三维石墨烯、表面化学修饰的石墨烯、石墨烯基复合材料以及石墨烯基柔性材料在锂硫电池正极中的研究现状,并展望了石墨烯作为硫载体在锂硫电池正极中的发展趋势。     

An Endogenous Prompting Mechanism for Sulfur Conversions Via Coupling with Polysulfides in Li−S Batteries

The sluggish kinetics process and shuttling of soluble intermediates present in complex conversion between sulfur and lithium sulfide severely limit the practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries. Herein, by introducing a designated functional organic molecule to couple with polysulfide intermediators, an endogenous prompting mechanism of sulfur conversions has thus been created leading to an alternative sulfur-electrode process, in another words, to build a fast “internal cycle” of promotors that can promote the slow “external cycle” of sulfur conversions. The coupling-intermediators between the functional organic molecule and polysulfides, organophosphorus polysulfides, to be the “promotors” for sulfur conversions, are not only insoluble in the electrolyte but also with higher redox-activity. So the sulfur-electrode process kinetics is greatly improved and the shuttle effect is eliminated simultaneously by this strategy. Meanwhile, with the endogenous prompting mechanism, the morphology of the final discharge product can be modified into a uniform covering film, which is more conducive to its decomposition when charging. Benefiting from the effective mediation of reaction kinetics and control of intermediates solubility, the lithium-sulfur batteries can act out excellent rate performance and cycling stability.     

硝酸锂作添加剂对锂硫电池电化学性能的影响

采用充放电测试和交流阻抗测试研究了硝酸锂作电解液添加剂对锂硫电池电化学性能的影响. 采用电子扫描显微镜观察分析了添加剂对锂负极的影响, 探讨了硝酸锂的作用机理.  结果表明, 采用硝酸锂作为锂硫电池电解液的添加剂, 可以在锂负极表面形成具有钝化负极活性表面及保护锂负极的界面膜.  该膜可以抑制电解液中高价态聚硫离子与锂负极的副反应, 避免在锂负极表面形成不可逆的硫化锂, 从而提高锂硫电池的循环性能和放电容量. 采用硝酸锂作添加剂的锂硫电池首次放电比容量达1172 mA?h/g, 循环100次比容量保持为629 mA?h/g.     

金属氧化物用于锂硫电池硫正极材料改性的研究进展

锂硫电池因其能量密度高、原料丰富和价格低廉等优势而被认为是下一代的重要储能器件。但是,锂硫电池的发展仍面临诸多问题,包括多硫化物的穿梭效应、单质硫的导电性差、充电过程中硫体积膨胀导致的库仑效率差、容量快速衰减以及锂负极的腐蚀等。近年来,金属氧化物由于具有可吸附多硫化物、提高多硫化物之间的相互转化能力、形成3D形态纳米级结构及对主体材料与多硫化物之间的结合能发挥着关键作用等优点在锂硫电池正极材料的改性方面得到广泛应用。本文综述了多类金属氧化物(过渡金属氧化物、二元及多元金属氧化物、其他金属氧化物)在锂硫电池正极复合材料改性中的研究进展,并对金属氧化物在锂硫电池中的应用前景进行了展望。     

Two-dimensional vermiculite separator for lithium sulfur batteries

A lamellar vermiculite separator assembled with exfoliation vermiculites is developed for lithium sulfur batteries. The vermiculite separator can simultaneously suppress the parasitic reactions induced by polysulfide intermediate shuttle, and prevent the short circuit by potential lithium dendrite penetration with the ultrahigh Young's modulus.     

Functional Organosulfide Electrolyte Promotes an Alternate Reaction Pathway to Achieve High Performance in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur (Li‐S) batteries have recently received great attention because they promise to provide energy density far beyond current lithium ion batteries. Typically, Li‐S batteries operate by conversion of sulfur to reversibly form different soluble lithium polysulfide intermediates and insoluble lithium sulfides through multistep redox reactions. Herein, we report a functional electrolyte system incorporating dimethyl disulfide as a co‐solvent that enables a new electrochemical reduction pathway for sulfur cathodes. This pathway uses soluble dimethyl polysulfides and lithium organosulfides as intermediates and products, which can boost cell capacity and lead to improved discharge–charge reversibility and cycling performance of sulfur cathodes. This electrolyte system can potentially enable Li‐S batteries to achieve high energy density.     

1,3-二氧戊环基LiCF3SO3电解液对锂硫电池正极材料单质硫的电化学性能影响

测试了二元和多元溶剂组分的1,3-二氧戊环基LiCF3SO3电解液的粘度、离子电导率和单质硫的溶解度. 研究结果表明, 由较强的给电子能力溶剂组成的低粘度电解液较容易提高单质硫的氧化还原反应活性和可逆性能, 有利于提高单质硫在2.10 V附近的低放电平台电位和放电比容量. DOL-DME LiCF3SO3电解液能够较好地改善单质硫电极的表面钝化层结构, 促进电活性物质离子扩散和降低界面电荷传递阻抗, 从而表现出很好的放电倍率特性. 在室温下充放电流密度分别为0.1和0.2 mA/cm2时, 单质硫的首次放电比容量为792 mA·h/g, 第29次放电比容量达到412 mA·h/g.     

The Quest for Polysulfides in Lithium–Sulfur Battery Electrolytes: An Operando Confocal Raman Spectroscopy Study

Confocal Raman spectra of a lithium–sulfur battery electrolyte are recorded operando in a depth‐of‐discharge resolved manner for an electrochemical cell with a realistic electrolyte/sulfur loading ratio. The evolution of various possible polysulfides is unambiguously identified by combining Raman spectroscopy data with DFT simulations.     

纳米sno2负极的电化学性质

锂离子电池;纳米sno2负极;慢扫描循环伏安;交流阻抗谱     

Synthesis and electrochemical performance of TiO2–sulfur composite cathode materials for lithium–sulfur batteries

Titania–sulfur (TiO₂–S) composite cathode materials were synthesized for lithium–sulfur batteries. The composites were characterized and examined by X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical methods, such as cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic charge–discharge tests. It is found that the mesoporous TiO₂ and sulfur particles are uniformly distributed in the composite after a melt-diffusion process. When evaluating the electrochemical properties of as-prepared TiO₂–S composite as cathode materials in lithium–sulfur batteries, it exhibits much improved cyclical stability and high rate performance. The results showed that an initial discharge specific capacity of 1,460 mAh/g at 0.2 C and capacity retention ratio of 46.6 % over 100 cycles of composite cathode, which are higher than that of pristine sulfur. The improvements of electrochemical performances were due to the good dispersion of sulfur in the pores of TiO₂ particles and the excellent adsorbing effect on polysulfides of TiO₂.     

Surface modification of hollow capsule by Dawson-type polyoxometalate as sulfur hosts for ultralong-life lithium-sulfur batteries

Reasonable construction of sulfur host with high conductivity, large sulfur storage gap, strong chemical adsorption, and fast oxidation–reduction kinetics of polysulfide is very significant for its practical use in lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). In this paper, the surface modification of MIL-88A(Fe) is carried out by Dawson-type polyoxometalate (POM), and a hollow capsule shell material with P₂W₁₈, Fe₃O₄, and C components is synthesized by the subsequent carbonization process. When applied as the sulfur host, the hollow capsule shell material can efficiently improve the conductivity of sulfur electrode and restrain the volumetric change of active sulfur while charging and discharging. On this foundation, electrochemical analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculation show that the P₂W₁₈ on the outer layer of the capsule shell have effective electrocatalytic activity and potent chemical bond on the lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), which is helpful to block the shuttle effect. Therefore, the as-assembled LSBs display the outstanding specific capacity and prominent cycle stability. Specifically, it delivers an excellent reversible capacity of 1063 mAh/g after 100 cycles of charge–discharge at a rate of 0.5 C, accounting for a preservation by 96% in comparison to that of the initial cycle. Moreover, even after 2000 cycles at 1 C, the reversible specific capacity of 585 mAh/g can still be maintained with an average decay rate of only 0.021%.     

Effect of cations in ionic liquids on the electrochemical performance of lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur(Li-S) battery is a promising choice for the next generation of high-energy rechargeable batteries, but its application is impeded by the high dissolution of the polysulfides in commonly used organic electrolyte. Room temperature ionic liquids(RTILs) have been considered as appealing candidates for the electrolytes in Li-S batteries. We investigated the effect of cations in RTILs on the electrochemical performance for Li-S batteries. Ex situ investigation of lithium anode for Li-S batteries indicates that during the discharge/charge process the RTIL with N-methyl-N-propylpyrrolidine cations(P13) can effectively suppress the dissolution of the polysulfides, whereas the RTIL with 1-methyl-3-propyl imidazolium cation(PMIM) barely alleviates the shuttling problem. With 0.5 mol L-1 LiTFSI/P13 TFSI as the electrolyte of Li-S battery, the ketjen black/ sulfur cathode material exhibits high capacity and remarkable cycling stability, which promise the application of the P13-based RTILs in Li-S batteries.     

Atomic-Scale Dispersed Fe-Based Catalysts Confined on Nitrogen-Doped Graphene for Li-S Batteries: Polysulfides with Enhanced Conversion Efficiency

Lithium-sulfur batteries have been considered as potential electrochemical energy-storage devices owing to their satisfactory theoretical energy density. Nonetheless, the inferior conversion efficiency of polysulfides in essence leads to fast capacity decay during the discharge/charge cycle. In this work, it is successfully demonstrated that the conversion efficiency of lithium polysulfides is remarkably enhanced by employing a well-distributed atomic-scale Fe-based catalyst immobilized on nitrogen-doped graphene (Fe@NG) as a coating of separator in lithium-sulfur batteries. The quantitative electrocatalytic efficiency of the conversion of lithium polysulfides is determined through cyclic voltammetry. It is also proven that the Fe-N_X configuration with highly catalytic activity is quite beneficial for the conversion of lithium polysulfides. In addition, the adsorption and permeation experiments distinctly indicate that the strong anchoring effect, originated from the charge redistribution of N doping into the graphene matrix, inhibits the movement of lithium polysulfides. Thanks to these advantages, if the as-prepared Fe@NG catalyst is combined with polypropylene and applied as a separator (Fe@NG/PP) in Li-S batteries, a high initial capacity (1616 mA h g⁻¹ at 0.1 C), excellent capacity retention (93 % at 0.2 C, 70 % at 2 C), and superb rate performance (820 mA h g⁻¹ at 2 C) are achieved.     

“蛋黄-蛋壳”结构纳米反应器的设计、调控及在锂硫电池正极中的应用研究

锂硫电池具有理论能量密度高等优势,被认为是最有前景的一类新型二次电池.硫正极存在硫和硫化锂的导电性差、可溶性多硫化物的扩散/穿梭、循环过程中硫的体积膨胀以及氧化还原过程慢等问题,严重制约着电池的活性和循环稳定性.设计“蛋黄-蛋壳”结构纳米反应器应用于锂硫电池正极,可通过调控其“蛋黄”、“蛋壳”和“空腔”结构缓解充放电过程中电极的体积变化,为离子/电子输运提供快速通道,强化对多硫化物的吸附和催化转换作用等,进而提高电极的活性和循环性能,有利于推进锂硫电池的商业化进程.本文总结了“蛋黄-蛋壳”结构纳米反应器的设计和调控策略,包括单核-单壳、单核-多壳、多核-单壳以及多核-多壳等,并结合锂硫电池的工作特点和目前应用存在的问题,对未来发展前景进行了展望.     

In Operando X-ray diffraction and transmission X-ray microscopy of lithium sulfur batteries

Rechargeable lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries hold great potential for high-performance energy storage systems because they have a high theoretical specific energy, low cost, and are eco-friendly. However, the structural and morphological changes during electrochemical reactions are still not well understood. In this Article, these changes in Li-S batteries are studied in operando by X-ray diffraction and transmission X-ray microscopy. We show recrystallization of sulfur by the end of the charge cycle is dependent on the preparation technique of the sulfur cathode. On the other hand, it was found that crystalline Li(2)S does not form at the end of discharge for all sulfur cathodes studied. Furthermore, during cycling the bulk of soluble polysulfides remains trapped within the cathode matrix. Our results differ from previous ex situ results. This highlights the importance of in operando studies and suggests possible strategies to improve cycle life.