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A Strategy for Configuration of an Integrated Flexible Sulfur Cathode for High‐Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Author(s) -
Wang Hongqiang,
Zhang Wenchao,
Liu Huakun,
Guo Zaiping
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201511673
Subject(s) - polysulfide , cathode , separator (oil production) , sulfur , materials science , electrode , current collector , energy storage , carbon fibers , lithium–sulfur battery , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , electrolyte , composite material , chemistry , metallurgy , composite number , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , thermodynamics
Lithium–sulfur batteries are regarded as promising candidates for energy storage devices owing to their high theoretical energy density. The practical application is hindered, however, by low sulfur utilization and unsatisfactory capacity retention. Herein, we present a strategy for configuration of the sulfur cathode, which is composed of an integrated carbon/sulfur/carbon sandwich structure on polypropylene separator that is produced using the simple doctor‐blade technique. The integrated electrode exhibits excellent flexibility and high mechanical strength. The upper and bottom carbon layers of the sandwich‐structured electrode not only work as double current collectors, which effectively improve the conductivity of the electrode, but also serve as good barriers to suppress the diffusion of the polysulfide and buffer the volume expansion of the active materials, leading to suppression of the shuttle effect and low self‐discharge behavior.