Electrochemical Energy Reviews ›› 2018, Vol. 1 ›› Issue (3): 239-293.doi: 10.1007/s41918-018-0010-3

Special Issue: Batteries

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Structural Design of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: From Fundamental Research to Practical Application

Xiaofei Yang1,2,3, Xia Li1, Keegan Adair1, Huamin Zhang2,4, Xueliang Sun1   

  1. 1 Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada;
    2 Division of Energy Storage, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China;
    3 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
    4 Collaborative innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials(iChEM), Dalian 116023, China
  • Received:2018-03-11 Revised:2018-03-11 Online:2018-09-20 Published:2018-11-29
  • Contact: Huamin Zhang, Xueliang Sun E-mail:zhanghm@dicp.ac.cn;xsun9@uwo.ca
  • Supported by:
    This research was supported by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canada Research Chair Program (CRC), the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), and the University of Western Ontario (UWO), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51403209, 51677176, 51673199, 21406221, 51177156/E0712), Youth Innovation Promotion Association (2015148), Natural Sciences Foundation of Liaoning Province of China (2013020126), Youth Innovation Foundation of Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (201307), Xiaofei Yang is supported by the Chinese Scholarship Council.

Abstract: Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have been considered as one of the most promising energy storage devices that have the potential to deliver energy densities that supersede that of state-of-the-art lithium ion batteries. Due to their high theoretical energy density and cost-efectiveness, Li-S batteries have received great attention and have made great progress in the last few years. However, the insurmountable gap between fundamental research and practical application is still a major stumbling block that has hindered the commercialization of Li-S batteries. This review provides insight from an engineering point of view to discuss the reasonable structural design and parameters for the application of Li-S batteries. Firstly, a systematic analysis of various parameters (sulfur loading, electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratio, discharge capacity, discharge voltage, Li excess percentage, sulfur content, etc.) that infuence the gravimetric energy density, volumetric energy density and cost is investigated. Through comparing and analyzing the statistical information collected from recent Li-S publications to fnd the shortcomings of Li-S technology, we supply potential strategies aimed at addressing the major issues that are still needed to be overcome. Finally, potential future directions and prospects in the engineering of Li-S batteries are discussed.

Full-text:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41918-018-0010-3

Key words: Lithium-sulfur batteries, High energy density, Practical application, All-solid-state electrolyte