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A Multifunctional Separator Enables Safe and Durable Lithium/Magnesium–Sulfur Batteries under Elevated Temperature
Author(s) -
Zhou Zhenfang,
Chen Bingbing,
Fang Tingting,
Li Yue,
Zhou Zhongfu,
Wang Qingjie,
Zhang Jiujun,
Zhao Yufeng
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201902023
Subject(s) - materials science , polysulfide , separator (oil production) , electrolyte , sulfur , chemical engineering , lithium–sulfur battery , oxide , electrode , metallurgy , chemistry , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
Abstract Rechargeable metal–sulfur batteries encounter severe safety hazards and fast capacity decay, caused by the flammable and shrinkable separator and unwanted polysulfide dissolution under elevated temperatures. Herein, a multifunctional Janus separator is designed by integrating temperature endurable electrospinning polyimide nonwovens with a copper nanowire‐graphene nanosheet functional layer and a rigid lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide‐polyethylene oxide matrix. Such architecture offers multifold advantages: i) intrinsically high dimensional stability and flame‐retardant capability, ii) excellent electrolyte wettability and effective metal dendritic growth inhibition, and iii) powerful physical blockage/chemical anchoring capability for the shuttled polysulfides. As a consequence, the as constructed lithium–sulfur battery using a pure sulfur cathode displays an outstandingly high discharge capacity of 1402.1 mAh g −1 and a record high cycling stability (approximately average 0.24% capacity decay per cycle within 300 cycles) at 80 °C, outperforming the state‐of‐the‐art results in the literature. Promisingly, a high sulfur mass loading of ≈3.0 mg cm −2 and a record low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 6.0 are achieved. This functional separator also performs well for a high temperature magnesium–sulfur battery. This work demonstrates a new concept for high performance metal–sulfur battery design and promises safe and durable operation of the next generation energy storage systems.