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Sulfur Composite Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Lithium Batteries
Author(s) -
Wang J.,
Yang J.,
Wan C.,
Du K.,
Xie J.,
Xu N.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200304284
Subject(s) - materials science , polyacrylonitrile , sulfur , composite number , lithium–sulfur battery , electrochemistry , cathode , electrolyte , lithium (medication) , chemical engineering , anode , polymer , composite material , polymer chemistry , electrode , chemistry , metallurgy , medicine , engineering , endocrinology
Conductive polymer/sulfur composite materials were prepared by heating the mixture of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and sublimed sulfur. During the heating process, PAN was dehydrogenated by sulfur, forming a conductive main chain similar to polyacetylene. At the same time, the high‐polarity functional group –CN cyclized at the melt state, forming a thermally stable heterocyclic compound in which sulfur was embedded. The nanodispersed composites showed excellent electrochemical properties. Tested as cathode material in a non‐aqueous lithium cell based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) gel electrolyte at room temperature, the composite exhibited a specific capacity up to 850 mA h g –1 in the initial cycle. Its specific capacity remained above 600 mA h g –1 after 50 cycles, about five times that of LiCoO 2 , and recovered partly after replacement of the anode with a fresh lithium sheet. The utilization of the electrochemically active sulfur was about 90 % assuming a complete reaction to the product, Li 2 S.