Vanderbilt and University of Maryland Researchers Develop New Chemistry for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries to Boost Energy Storage
Researchers at Vanderbilt University and the University of Maryland have developed a new battery chemistry that significantly enhances the energy storage potential of lithium-sulfur batteries. Published in Nature Energy, their study introduces an approach that allows sulfur to participate in an additional energy-storing reaction, leading to a higher average operating voltage and increased charge storage. Traditionally, lithium-sulfur batteries enable each sulfur atom to exchange two electrons during charging and discharging. The new system incorporates chlorine, which facilitates the exchange of a third electron. This innovation not only increased sulfur’s charge-storage capacity by approximately 58% but also raised the battery’s average operating voltage from about 2.05 volts to 2.54 volts, compared to standard lithium-sulfur chemistry. The combined effect allowed one kilogram of sulfur to store over 1,700 watt-hours of energy in their experimental cell. The team also designed a specific electrolyte to en...
