A Comprehensive Understanding of Lithium–Sulfur Battery Technology

• Published in: Advanced functional materials Vol. 29; no. 32
• Main Authors: Li, Tao, Bai, Xue, Gulzar, Umair, Bai, Yu‐Jun, Capiglia, Claudio, Deng, Wei, Zhou, Xufeng, Liu, Zhaoping, Feng, Zhifu, Proietti Zaccaria, Remo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01-08-2019
• Subjects: corrosion of lithium; electrolytes; Energy storage; Failure mechanisms; Flux density; Geopolitics; Lithium; Lithium sulfur batteries; Low conductivity; Materials science; Organic chemistry; Separators; shuttle effect; State of the art; Storage batteries; Storage systems; Sulfur; sulfur cathodes
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201901730

Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs) are regarded as a new kind of energy storage device due to their remarkable theoretical energy density. However, some issues, such as the low conductivity and the large volume variation of sulfur, as well as the formation of polysulfides during cycling, are yet to be addressed before LSBs can become an actual reality. Here, presented is a comprehensive overview illustrating the techniques capable of mitigating these undesirable problems together with the electrochemical performances associated to the different proposed solutions. In particular, the analysis is organized by separately addressing cathode, anode, separator, and electrolyte. Furthermore, to better understand the chemistry and failure mechanisms of LSBs, important characterization techniques applied to energy storage systems are reviewed. Similarly, considerations on the theoretical approaches used in the energy storage field are provided, as they can become the key tool for the design of the next generation LSBs. Afterward, the state of the art of LSBs technology is presented from a geopolitical perspective by comparing the results achieved in this field by the main world actors, namely Asia, North America, and Europe. Finally, this review is concluded with the application status of LSBs technology, and its prospects are offered.
A comprehensive review on lithium‐sulphur batteries is presented. The analysis looks at anodes, cathodes, separators, and electrolytes both from a theoretical and experimental point of view. In this respect, considerations for advanced characterization techniques are also reported. Finally, a geo‐political comparison is presented aiming to identify the most important actors in this field.