Realizing All-Climate Li-S Batteries by Using a Porous Sub-Nano Aromatic Framework

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2022 Nov 21;61(47):e202211933. doi: 10.1002/anie.202211933. Epub 2022 Oct 21.

Abstract

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with high energy density are currently receiving enormous attention. However, their redox kinetics at low temperature is extremely tardy, and polysulfides shuttling is serious at high temperature, which severely hinders the implementation of wide-temperature Li-S batteries. Herein, we propose an all-climate Li-S battery based on an ether-based electrolyte by using a porous sub-nano aromatic framework (SAF) modified separator. It's demonstrated that the fully conjugated SAF-3 with a small pore size (0.97 nm) and narrow band gap (1.72 eV) could efficiently block the polysulfides shuttling at elevated temperature and boost the polysulfides conversion at low temperature. Consequently, the SAF-3 modified cells work well in a wide temperature ranging from -40 to 60 °C. Furthermore, when operated at room temperature, the modified cell exhibits 90 % capacity retention over 100 cycles under high-sulfur loading (5.0 mg cm-2 ) and lean electrolyte (5 μL mg-1 ).

Keywords: All-Climate Operation; Lithium-Sulfur Batteries; Modified Separator; Porous Aromatic Framework; Sub-Nano.