Lithiophilic gel polymer electrolyte to stabilize the lithium anode for a quasi-solid-state lithium–sulfur battery. Issue 38 (19th September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Han, Dian-Dian; Liu, Sheng; Liu, Ya-Tao; Zhang, Ze; Li, Guo-Ran; Gao, Xue-Ping
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 6:Issue 38(2018)
• Page Start: 18627
• Page End: 18634
• Publication Date: 2018-09-19
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c8ta07685e
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : The lithiophilic gel polymer electrolyte is demonstrated to be feasible to stabilize the lithium anode in a quasi-solid-state Li–S battery. Abstract : Lithium–sulfur batteries are the most promising candidates for high energy battery systems due to their high theoretical energy density. However, the severe degradation of the lithium anode during cycling is a significant issue that hinders the practical application of lithium–sulfur batteries. Herein, a gel polymer electrolyte, fabricated via the self-polymerization of polydopamine (PDA) on the surface of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) gel polymer electrolyte, was introduced for the first time to stabilize the lithium anode in a quasi-solid-state lithium–sulfur battery. Specifically, polydopamine with pyrrolic nitrogen in the structure is identified to be lithiophilic owing to its Lewis acid–base interactions. Such a lithiophilic gel polymer electrolyte plays a key role in regulating the nucleation and stripping/plating process of the lithium anode, leading to a smooth anode surface with a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) during long-term cycling. Moreover, polydopamine is beneficial for confining polysulfides through their strong interaction, thus reducing the polysulfide side reaction with the anode. As a result, the quasi-solid-state cell with the multifunctional gel polymer electrolyte not only possesses a stable lithium anode, but also demonstrates excellent cycling performance. Moreover, the amount of electrolyte in the quasi-solid-state cell is lower compared with the conventional cell with a liquid electrolyte, which favors an increase in energy density of the battery.