Lithium–sulfur battery
Type of rechargeable battery / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The lithium–sulfur battery (Li–S battery) is a type of rechargeable battery. It is notable for its high specific energy.[2] The low atomic weight of lithium and moderate atomic weight of sulfur means that Li–S batteries are relatively light (about the density of water). They were used on the longest and highest-altitude unmanned solar-powered aeroplane flight (at the time) by Zephyr 6 in August 2008.[3]
Specific energy | 450 [Wh/kg][1] |
---|---|
Energy density | 550 [Wh/L][1] |
Charge/discharge efficiency | C/5 nominal |
Cycle durability | disputed |
Nominal cell voltage | cell voltage varies nonlinearly in the range 2.5–1.7 V during discharge; batteries often packaged for 3 V |
Lithium–sulfur batteries may displace lithium-ion cells because of their higher energy density and reduced cost. This is due to two factors. First the use of sulfur instead of a less energy dense and more expensive substances such as cobalt and/or iron compounds found in lithium-ion batteries.[2][4] Secondly, the use of metallic lithium instead of intercalating lithium ions allows for much higher energy density, as less substances are needed to hold "lithium" and lithium is directly oxidized.[2] [4][1] Li–S batteries offer specific energies on the order of 550 Wh/kg,[1] while lithium-ion batteries are in the range of 150–260 Wh/kg.[5]
Li–S batteries with up to 1,500 charge and discharge cycles were demonstrated in 2017,[6] but cycle life tests at commercial scale and with lean electrolyte have not been completed. As of early 2021, none were commercially available.
Issues that have slowed acceptance include the polysulfide "shuttle" effect that is responsible for the progressive leakage of active material from the cathode, resulting in too few recharge cycles.[7] Also, sulfur cathodes have low conductivity, requiring extra mass for a conducting agent in order to exploit the contribution of active mass to the capacity.[8] Volume expansion of the sulfur cathode during S to Li2S conversion and the large amount of electrolyte needed are also issues. In the early 2000s, however, scientists began to make progress creating high-stability sulfurized-carbon cathodes[9] and by 2020, scientists at Rice University had demonstrated batteries based on sulfurized carbon cathodes that retained >70% of their capacity after 1000 cycles.[10] By 2023, Zeta Energy a Texas-based startup announced that multiple national laboratories had independently verified that its lithium-sulfur batteries based on sulfurized-carbon cathodes were polysulfide shuttle free.[11]