Qualitative Determination of Polysulfide Species in a Lithium-Sulfur Battery by HR-LC-APCI-MSn with One-Step Derivatization

Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) batteries are one of the most promising next-generation batteries due to their ultrahigh energy density up to 500 W h kg^-1. However, despite the steady progress during the last several decades, there have been significant challenges for practical applications and commercialization. One of the major issues is controlling the lithium polysulfide (LiPS) shuttling process, which causes premature cell failure. To better understand the mechanism of the LiPS shuttling chemistry, a qualitative and quantitative analysis on polysulfide species in Li-S cell has profound significance for realizing highly efficient sulfur electrochemistry. Here we report a qualitative determination of the derivatized polysulfides in the electrolyte of a custom-made Li-S pouch cell with a high-resolution liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry method for the first time. The ionization efficiency of the methylated polysulfides was affected by the tune parameters such as the corona discharge current, the vaporizer temperature, and the source capillary temperature. It was found that the source capillary temperature was the dominant parameter to increase the peak intensity of CH₃S₇^- ion, which was the smallest peak in the spectrum. An unusual and unique ionization pattern for methylated polysulfides detected in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization negative mode was elucidated by using first-principles calculations.

The Catalyst Design for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Roles and Routes

Lithium-sulfur battery is a promising candidate for next-generation high energy density batteries due to its ultrahigh theoretical energy density. However, it suffers from low sulfur utilization, fast capacity decay, and the notorious "shuttle effect" of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) due to the sluggish reaction kinetics, which severely restrict its practical applications. Using the electrocatalyst can accelerate the redox reactions between sulfur, LiPSs and Li₂ S and suppress the shuttling of LiPSs, and thus, it is a promising strategy to solve the above problems, enabling the battery with high energy density and long cycling stability. In this personal account, we discuss the catalyst design for lithium-sulfur batteries according to the sulfur reduction reaction (SRR) and sulfur evolution reaction (SER) in the discharging and charging processes. The catalytic effects for each step in SRR and SER are highlighted and the homogenous catalysts, the selective catalysts, and the bidirectional catalysts are discussed, which can help guide the rational design of the catalysts and practical applications of lithium-sulfur batteries.

Covalent Organic Framework as an Efficient Protection Layer for a Stable Lithium-Metal Anode

Lithium (Li) metal shows great potential for achieving high-energy-density rechargeable batteries. However, the practical applications of Li-metal batteries are still challenged by the formation of Li dendrites and unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) on metallic Li. Herein, a thin covalent organic framework layer is in situ fabricated on Li (COF-Li) to suppress Li dendrite growth and mitigate the side reaction on the Li anode. The COF has a periodic and uniform porosity, allowing for selectively sieving Li ions and guiding a uniform Li deposition. As a result, the COF-Li exhibits a non-dendrite morphology during repeated Li plating/stripping and demonstrates a remarkable cycle life over 13 200 h with an extremely low overpotential of only 16 mV at a high current density of 10 mA cm^-2 and a high areal capacity of 10 mAh cm^-2 .

An Antipulverization and High-Continuity Lithium Metal Anode for High-Energy Lithium Batteries

Lithium metal is one of the most promising anode candidates for next-generation high-energy batteries. Nevertheless, lithium pulverization and associated loss of electrical contact remain significant challenges. Here, an antipulverization and high-continuity lithium metal anode comprising a small number of solid-state electrolyte (SSE) nanoparticles as conformal/sacrificial fillers and a copper (Cu) foil as the supporting current collector is reported. Guiding by the SSE, this new anode facilitates lithium nucleation, contributing to form a roundly shaped, micro-sized, and dendrite-free electrode during cycling, which effectively mitigates the lithium dendrite growth. The embedded Cu current collector in the hybrid anode not only reinforces the mechanical strength but also improves the efficient charge transfer among active lithium filaments, affording good electrode structural integrity and electrical continuity. As a result, this antipulverization and high-continuity lithium anode delivers a high average Coulombic efficiency of ≈99.6% for 300 cycles under a current density of 1 mA cm^-2 . Lithium-sulfur batteries (elemental sulfur or sulfurized polyacrylonitrile cathodes) equipped with this anode show high-capacity retentions in their corresponding ether-based or carbonate-based electrolytes, respectively. This new electrode provides important insight into the design of electrodes that may experience large volume variation during operations.

Lithium-Metal Anodes Working at 60 mA cm-2 and 60 mAh cm-2 through Nanoscale Lithium-Ion Adsorbing

Achieving high-current-density and high-area-capacity operation of Li metal anodes offers promising opportunities for high-performing next-generation batteries. However, high-rate Li deposition suffers from undesired Li-ion depletion especially at the electrolyte-anode interface, which compromises achievable capacity and lifetime. Here, electronegative graphene quantum dots are synthesized and assembled into an ultra-thin overlayer capable of efficient Li-ion adsorbing at the nanoscale on Li-metal to fully relieve Li-ion depletion. The protected Li anode achieves long-term reversible Li plating/stripping over 1000 h at both superior current density of 60 mA cm^-2 and areal capacity of 60 mAh cm^-2 . Implementation of the protected anode allows for the construction of Li-air full battery with both enhanced rate capability and cycling performance.

Designing Cation-Solvent Fully Coordinated Electrolyte for High-Energy-Density Lithium-Sulfur Full Cell Based On Solid-Solid Conversion

Sulfur chemistry based on solid-liquid dissolution-deposition route inevitably encounters shuttle of lithium polysulfides, its parasitic interaction with lithium (Li) anode and flood electrolyte environment. The sulfurized pyrolyzed poly(acrylonitrile) (S@pPAN) cathode favors solid-solid conversion mechanism in carbonate ester electrolytes but fails to pair high-capacity Li anode. Herein, we rationally design a cation-solvent fully coordinated ether electrolyte to simultaneously resolve the problems of both Li anode and S@pPAN cathode. Raman spectroscopy reveals a highly suppressed solvent activity and a cation-solvent fully coordinated structure (molar ratio 1:1). Consequently, Li electrodeposit evolves into round-edged morphology, LiF-rich interphase, and high reversibility. Moreover, S@pPAN cathode inherits a neat solid-phase redox reaction and fully eliminated the dissolution of lithium polysulfides. Finally, we harvest a long-life Li-S@pPAN pouch cell with slight Li metal excessive (0.4 time) and ultra-lean electrolyte design (1 μL mg_S ^-1 ), delivering 394 Wh kg^-1 energy density based on electrodes and electrolyte mass.

A Perspective toward Practical Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have long been expected to be a promising high-energy-density secondary battery system since their first prototype in the 1960s. During the past decade, great progress has been achieved in promoting the performances of Li-S batteries by addressing the challenges at the laboratory-level model systems. With growing attention paid to the application of Li-S batteries, new challenges at practical cell scales emerge as the bottleneck. In this Outlook, the key parameters for practical Li-S batteries to achieve practical high energy density are emphasized regarding high-sulfur-loading cathodes, lean electrolytes, and limited excess anodes. Subsequently, the key scientific problems are redefined in practical Li-S batteries beyond the previous ones under ideal conditions. Finally, viable strategies are proposed to address the above challenges as future research directions.