Fluorinated Ether Based Electrolyte for High-Energy Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Li+ Solvation Role behind Reduced Polysulfide Solubility
Journal article, 2017
By employing new electrolytes, the polysulfide shuttle phenomenon, one of the main problems of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, can be significantly reduced. Here we present excellent Coulombic efficiencies as well as adequate performance of high-energy Li-S cells by the use of a fluorinated ether (TFEE) based electrolyte at low electrolyte loading. The observed altered discharge profile was investigated both by electrochemical experiments and an especially tailored COSMO-RS computational approach, while the details of the discharge mechanism were elucidated by two operando techniques: XANES and UV-vis spectroscopy. A significant decrease of polysulfide solubility compared to tetraglyme is due to different Li+ solvation mode.
Author
Sara Drvarič Talian
National Institute of Chemistry
University of Ljubljana
Steffen Jeschke
Chalmers, Physics, Condensed Matter Physics
Alen Vizintin
National Institute of Chemistry
Klemen Pirnat
National Institute of Chemistry
Arcˇon Iztok
Jozef Stefan Institute
University of Nova Gorica
Giuliana Aquilanti
Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste
Patrik Johansson
Chalmers, Physics, Condensed Matter Physics
R. Dominko
National Institute of Chemistry
Alistore - European Research Institute
University of Ljubljana
Chemistry of Materials
0897-4756 (ISSN) 1520-5002 (eISSN)
Vol. 29 23 10037-10044Areas of Advance
Transport
Energy
Materials Science
Subject Categories
Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
DOI
10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b03654