Lithium-sulfur batteries

The rechargeable lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is one of the most promising "post-Li-ion" energy storage systems. The battery has the potential for very high gravimetric energy density - that is, a Li-S battery could store two to three times as much energy for a given weight compared to current Li-ion batteries. Other advantages of the system include relatively good safety, the potential for operation at very low temperatures, and lower cost: as a byproduct of the oil industry, sulfur is very inexpensive and highly abundant. However, short cycle life and high self-discharge remain barriers to wider commercialisation, and very complex chemistry makes this system challenging to study.

Our research within this field includes the development of functional polymers for the sulfur electrode, electrochemical characterisation and interfacial studies on the lithium electrode.