Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2020, Vol. 9 ›› Issue (2): 339-345.doi: 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2020.0002

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Balance between ion migration and electron transport in composite cathodes for all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries

YE Ge1, YUAN Hong1, ZHAO Chenzi2, ZHU Gaolong2,3, XU Lei1, HOU Lipeng2, CHENG Xinbing2, HE Chuanxin3, NAN Haoxiong4, LIU Quanbin4, HUANG Jiaqi1, ZHANG Qiang2()   

  1. 1. Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China
    2. Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
    3. Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China
    4. School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
  • Received:2020-01-03 Revised:2020-02-14 Online:2020-03-05 Published:2020-03-15
  • Contact: Qiang ZHANG E-mail:zhang-qiang@mails.tsinghua.edu.cn

Abstract:

All-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs) are strong candidates for next-generation energy-storage systems owing to their high theoretical energy density and the ability to eliminate the shuttle effect. The insulation of sulfur in solid-state cathodes requires additional ionic and electronic conductors, where the balance between ion and electron transport is crucial for a stable electrochemical reaction. In addition, for high-energy-density batteries, it is important to develop composite cathodes with high sulfur content and less amount of inactive substances. Herein, we investigate the balance between ion migration and electron transport by adjusting the content of sulfide electrolyte Li10GeP2S12 (LGPS) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) under high sulfur content (40% of weight fraction). Sulfur cathodes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy. The ionic and electronic conductivities of composite cathodes were measured separately. Electrochemical tests indicate that ion transportation is hindered when LGPS content reduces, while the electronic conductivity is limited by the considerable excess of LGPS electrolytes. By comparing the specific capacity in the first cycle and capacity retention in the following cycle, we conclude that the optimal solution should contain 15% CNT and 45% (weight fraction) LGPS. In this case, the discharge specific capacity of ASSLSBs is 621 mA·h·g-1 and the rate of capacity decay is 3%.

Key words: all-solid-state lithium-sulfur battery, sulfide electrolyte, composite cathode, ion and electron transport, high sulfur content

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