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

In this paper, porous carbon was synthesized by an activation method, with phenolic resin as carbon source and nanometer calcium carbonate as activating agent. Sulfur–porous carbon composite material was prepared by thermally treating a mixture of sublimed sulfur and porous carbon. Morphology and electrochemical performance of the carbon and sulfur–carbon composite cathode were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS), and galvanostatic charge–discharge test. The composite containing 39 wt.% sulfur obtained an initial discharge capacity of about 1,130 mA?h g^?1 under the current density of 80 mA?g^?1 and presented a long electrochemical stability up to 100 cycles.     

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.     

Synthesis of Li3Ni x V2−x (PO4)3/C cathode materials and their electrochemical performance for lithium ion batteries

Li₃Ni _x V_2?x (PO₄)₃/C (x?=?0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06) samples have been synthesized via an improved sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that the structure of the prepared samples retains monoclinic, and the single phase has not been changed with Ni doping. From the analysis of electrochemical performance, the Li₃Ni_0.04?V_1.96(PO₄)₃/C sample exhibits the best electrochemical property. It delivers a discharge capacity of 112.1 mAh?g^?1 with capacity retention of 95.2 % over 300 cycles at 10 C rate in the range of 3.0–4.8 V; cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectra testing further prove that the electrochemical reversibility and lithium ion diffusion behavior of Li₃V₂(PO₄)₃ have also been effectively improved through Ni doping.     

High-performance three-dimensional flower-like CoS/MWCNT composite host for Li–S batteries

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Although lithium–sulfur batteries are promising replacements for conventional lithium-ion batteries, their commercial applications have been limited...     

Enhanced performance of lithium polymer batteries using a V2O5–PEG composite cathode

A new concept is proposed to realize solid-state high-performance lithium polymer batteries in which two different polymers are used as ionically conductive matrices in the cathode and in the separator. A solid, low molecular weight poly(ethylene glycol) was used in the cathode while a blend with a higher molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was used in the separator. The enhanced transport properties in the cathodic compartment allow us to discharge the battery (190 mAh g⁻¹) at a moderate temperature (65°C) in a reasonable time (about 3.3 h). Batteries cycled at 100°C showed enhanced performance with respect to PEO-based batteries. At a power density of about 416 W kg⁻¹, energy density as high as 460 Wh kg⁻¹, based on the weight of the active material, was achieved in about 1 h of discharge. The work was developed within the ALPE (Advanced Lithium Polymer Electric Vehicle Battery) project, an Italian integrated project devoted to the realization of lithium polymer batteries for electric vehicle applications, in collaboration with the Osaka National Research Institute.     

Li–S batteries: effect of uniaxial compression on the electrical conductivity and electrochemical performance of graphene aerogel cathodes

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Porous cathodes are preferred to be used in lithium-sulfur (Li–S) batteries for better impregnation of the active material. On the other hand, the...     

Recent progress in fluorinated electrolytes for improving the performance of Li–S batteries

Lithium–sulfur(Li–S) batteries represent a "beyond Li-ion" technology with low cost and high theoretical energy density and should fulfill the ever-growing requirements of electric vehicles and stationary energy storage systems. However, the sulfur-based conversion reaction in conventional liquid electrolytes results in issues like the so-called shuttle effect of polysulfides and lithium dendrite growth, which deteriorate the electrochemical performance and safety of Li–S batteries. Optimization of conventional organic solvents(including ether and carbonate) by fluorination to form fluorinated electrolytes is a promising strategy for the practical application of Li–S batteries. The fluorinated electrolytes, owing to the high electronegativity of fluorine, possesses attractive physicochemical properties, including low melting point,high flash point, and low solubility of lithium polysulfide, and can form a compact and stable solid electrolyte interphase(SEI) with the lithium metal anode. Herein, we review recent advancements in the development of fluorinated electrolytes for use in Li–S batteries. The effect of solvent molecular structure on the performance of Li–S batteries and the formation mechanism of SEI on the cathode and anode sides are analyzed and discussed in detail. The remaining challenges and future perspectives of fluorinated electrolytes for Li–S batteries are also presented.     

Three-dimensionally interconnected Co9S8/MWCNTs composite cathode host for lithium–sulfur batteries

Several challenging issues,such as the poor conductivity of sulfur,shuttle effects,large volume change of cathode,and the dendritic lithium in anode,have led to the low utilization of sulfur and hampered the commercialization of lithium–sulfur batteries.In this study,a novel three-dimensionally interconnected network structure comprising Co9 S8 and multiwalled carbon nanotubes(MWCNTs)was synthesized by a solvothermal route and used as the sulfur host.The assembled batteries delivered a specific capacity of1154 m Ah g-1 at 0.1 C,and the retention was 64%after 400 cycles at 0.5 C.The polar and catalytic Co9 S8 nanoparticles have a strong adsorbent effect for polysulfide,which can effectively reduce the shuttling effect.Meanwhile,the three-dimensionally interconnected CNT networks improve the overall conductivity and increase the contact with the electrolyte,thus enhancing the transport of electrons and Li ions.Polysulfide adsorption is greatly increased with the synergistic effect of polar Co9 S8 and MWCNTs in the three-dimensionally interconnected composites,which contributes to their promising performance for the lithium–sulfur batteries.     

Nano-wire networks of sulfur–polypyrrole composite cathode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries

Polypyrrole (PPy) nanowire was synthesized through a surfactant mediated approach. The sulfur–polypyrrole (S–PPy) composite materials were prepared by heating the mixture of element sulfur and polypyrrole nanowire. The materials were characterized by FTIR, SEM. PPy with special morphology serves as conductive additive, distribution agent and absorbing agents, which effectively enhanced the electrochemical performance of sulfur. The initial discharge capacity of the active materials was 1222 mA h g⁻¹ the remaining capacity is 570 mA h g⁻¹ after 20th cycles.     

Recent advances on flexible electrodes for Na-ion batteries and Li–S batteries

Flexible energy storage devices are essential for emerging flexible electronics. The existing state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries are slowly reaching their limitation in terms of cost and energy density. Hence, flexible Na-ion batteries(SIBs) with abundance Na resources and Li–S batteries with high energy density become the alternative for the Li-ion batteries in future. This review summarizes the recent advances in the development of flexible electrode materials for SIBs with metallic matrix and carbonaceous matrix such as carbon nano-tubes, carbon nano-fiber, graphene, carbon cloth, carbon fiber cloth, and cotton textiles.Then, the potential prototype flexible full SIBs are discussed. Further, the recent progress in the development of flexible electrode materials for Li–S batteries based on carbon nano-fiber, carbon nano-tubes,graphene, and cotton textiles is reviewed. Moreover, the design strategies of suitable interlayer, separator,electrolyte, and electrodes to prevent the dissolution and shuttle effect of polysulfides in flexible Li–S batteries are provided. Finally some prospective investigation trends towards future research of flexible SIBs and Li–S batteries are also proposed and discussed. The scientific and engineering knowledge gained on flexible SIBs and Li–S batteries provides conceivable development for practical application in near future.     

Boron-doped Ketjenblack based high performances cathode for rechargeable Li–O_2 batteries

Boron-doped Ketjenblack is attempted as cathode catalyst for non-aqueous rechargeable Li–O_2 batteries. The boron-doped Ketjenblack delivers an extremely high discharge capacity of 7193 m Ah/g at a current density of 0.1 m A/cm2, and the capacity is about 2.3 times as that of the pristine KB. When the batteries are cycled with different restricted capacity, the boron-doped Ketjenblack based cathodes exhibits higher discharge platform and longer cycle life than Ketjenblack based cathodes. Additionally, the boron-doped Ketjenblack also shows a superior electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction in 0.1 mol/L KOH aqueous solution. The improvement in catalytic activity results from the defects and activation sites introduced by boron doping.     

Synthesis and application of single-atom catalysts in sulfur cathode for high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries

Lithium–sulfur(Li-S) batteries are regarded as one of the most promising energy storage devices because of their low cost, high energy density, and environmental friendliness. However, Li-S batteries suffer from sluggish reaction kinetics and serious “shuttle effect” of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs), which causes rapid decay of battery capacity and prevent their practical application. To address these problems, introducing single-atom catalysts(SACs) is an effective method to improve the electroch...     

Cyclability of sulfur/dehydrogenated polyacrylonitrile composite cathode in lithium–sulfur batteries

Sulfur/dehydrogenated polyacrylonitrile composite has been studied as cathode material for lithium–sulfur rechargeable batteries. Nonetheless, capacity fading has been a challenge for the commercialization of batteries. In this study, characterization techniques of scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, elemental analysis, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are used to investigate the change of cathode properties with charge–discharge cycles. Elemental analysis reveals that sulfur accumulates on the surface of the composite at the end of charge, and the sulfur formation decreases with cycle number. Scanning electron microscopy observations indicate that cathode surface morphology changes significantly after several cycles. By modeling the electrochemical impedance spectra of the cell in different discharge states, we suggest that capacity fading arises mainly from the formation and accumulation of irreversible Li₂S (and Li₂S₂) on the cathode surface.     

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of sulfur doped-LixMnO2−ySy materials for lithium secondary batteries

Sulfur doped lithium manganese oxides (Li_xMnO_2−yS_y) were prepared by ion exchange of sodium for lithium in Na_xMnO_2−yS_y precursors obtained by a sol–gel method. These materials had the nano-crystallite size, which was composed of grain size of about 100–200 nm. Especially, Li_0.56MnO_1.98S_0.02 delivered the initial discharge capacity of 170 mAh g⁻¹ and gradually increased the discharge capacity of 220 mAh g⁻¹ until 50 cycles. Moreover, it showed an excellent cycling behavior, although its original structure transformed into the spinel phase during cycling.     

Synthesis of 2-substituted-Pyrimidine-based porous aromatic frameworks via oxygen involved biginelli multicomponent polymerization: toward high performance Li–S batteries

Facile, general methods for the preparation of functionalized porous aromatic frameworks (PAFs) are necessary. Herein, we describe a new method for the one-step synthesis of functionalized pyrimidine-based PAFs via oxygen involved Biginelli multicomponent polymerization. As first application instance, we constructed a 2-amino-pyrimidine-based PAF (BPAF-1), and followed by employed it as a sulfur host material for lithium-sulfur batteries. Attributed to its 2-amino-pyrimidine structural superiorities, the BPAF-1/S composites demonstrate excellent electrochemical performance as cathode in lithium-sulfur batteries, such as good cyclability with a high capacity retention of 78.1% after 500 cycles and high rate capability up to 5C. Besides, it is convenient to bring various 2-substituted functional groups such as –OH, –SH, methyl, and phenyl functional groups to pyrimidine-based PAFs under similar conditions, which provided its wide applicability.     

Synthesis and electrochemical performance of LiNi0.475Mn0.475Al0.05O2 as cathode material for lithium-ion battery from Ni–Mn–Al–O precursor

LiNi_0.475Mn_0.475Al_0.05O₂ cathode material was prepared by solid-state reaction using Ni–Mn–Al–O solid solution as precursor. The solid solution is of spinel structure, in which nickel, manganese, and aluminum are sufficiently mixed at atomic level. Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction data revealed that Al doping in LiNi_0.5Mn_0.5O₂ was significantly effective to decrease the degree of Li/Ni cation mixing. XPS analysis showed that the valence states of nickel and manganese were mainly +2 and +4, respectively. LiNi_0.475Mn_0.475Al_0.05O₂ delivered a stable capacity of about 206 mAh g⁻¹ with high reversibility. High-rate capability test was also performed.     

Structure and electrochemical performance of nanostructured Sn–Co alloy/carbon nanotube composites as anodes for lithium ion batteries

Nanoparticles of Sn–Co alloy were deposited on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by reductive precipitation of solution of chelating metal salts within a CNTs suspension. The Sn–Co/CNTs nano-composite revealed a high reversible capacity of 424 mA h g^?1 and stable cyclic retention at 30th cycle. The improvement of reversible capacity and cyclic performance of the Sn–Co/CNTs composite is attributed to the nanoscale dimension of the Sn–Co alloy particles and the network of CNTs. Inactive Co as glue matrix of Sn prevents the possible pulverization of nanosized alloy particles. The CNTs could be pinning the Sn–Co alloy particles on their surfaces so as to hinder the agglomeration of Sn–Co alloy particles, while maintaining electronic conduction as well as accommodating drastic volume change during Li insertion and extraction reactions.     

Carbon fiber-incorporated sulfur/carbon ternary cathode for lithium–sulfur batteries with enhanced performance

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - Smart construction of advanced sulfur cathodes is indispensable for the development of high performance lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. Hence,...