Electrochemically Stable Rechargeable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Equipped with an Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Film
The high theoretical charge-storage capacity and energy density of lithium–sulfur batteries make them a promising next-generation energy-storage system. However, liquid polysulfides are highly soluble in the electrolytes used in lithium–sulfur batteries, which results in irreversible loss of their a...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/6/1460 |
| _version_ | 1797609378415640576 |
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| author | Li-Ling Chiu Sheng-Heng Chung |
| author_facet | Li-Ling Chiu Sheng-Heng Chung |
| author_sort | Li-Ling Chiu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The high theoretical charge-storage capacity and energy density of lithium–sulfur batteries make them a promising next-generation energy-storage system. However, liquid polysulfides are highly soluble in the electrolytes used in lithium–sulfur batteries, which results in irreversible loss of their active materials and rapid capacity degradation. In this study, we adopt the widely applied electrospinning method to fabricate an electrospun polyacrylonitrile film containing non-nanoporous fibers bearing continuous electrolyte tunnels and demonstrate that this serves as an effective separator in lithium–sulfur batteries. This polyacrylonitrile film exhibits high mechanical strength and supports a stable lithium stripping and plating reaction that persists for 1000 h, thereby protecting a lithium-metal electrode. The polyacrylonitrile film also enables a polysulfide cathode to attain high sulfur loadings (4–16 mg cm<sup>−2</sup>) and superior performance from C/20 to 1C with a long cycle life (200 cycles). The high reaction capability and stability of the polysulfide cathode result from the high polysulfide retention and smooth lithium-ion diffusion of the polyacrylonitrile film, which endows the lithium–sulfur cells with high areal capacities (7.0–8.6 mA·h cm<sup>−2</sup>) and energy densities (14.7–18.1 mW·h cm<sup>−2</sup>). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:59:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cf2737b91a2a4a1bbb29aeda2e8f7c3f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:59:35Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-cf2737b91a2a4a1bbb29aeda2e8f7c3f2023-11-17T13:25:53ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602023-03-01156146010.3390/polym15061460Electrochemically Stable Rechargeable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Equipped with an Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber FilmLi-Ling Chiu0Sheng-Heng Chung1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan City 70101, TaiwanDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, No. 1, University Road, Tainan City 70101, TaiwanThe high theoretical charge-storage capacity and energy density of lithium–sulfur batteries make them a promising next-generation energy-storage system. However, liquid polysulfides are highly soluble in the electrolytes used in lithium–sulfur batteries, which results in irreversible loss of their active materials and rapid capacity degradation. In this study, we adopt the widely applied electrospinning method to fabricate an electrospun polyacrylonitrile film containing non-nanoporous fibers bearing continuous electrolyte tunnels and demonstrate that this serves as an effective separator in lithium–sulfur batteries. This polyacrylonitrile film exhibits high mechanical strength and supports a stable lithium stripping and plating reaction that persists for 1000 h, thereby protecting a lithium-metal electrode. The polyacrylonitrile film also enables a polysulfide cathode to attain high sulfur loadings (4–16 mg cm<sup>−2</sup>) and superior performance from C/20 to 1C with a long cycle life (200 cycles). The high reaction capability and stability of the polysulfide cathode result from the high polysulfide retention and smooth lithium-ion diffusion of the polyacrylonitrile film, which endows the lithium–sulfur cells with high areal capacities (7.0–8.6 mA·h cm<sup>−2</sup>) and energy densities (14.7–18.1 mW·h cm<sup>−2</sup>).https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/6/1460electrospinninghigh-loading cathodesstabilized lithium anodesenergy densitylithium–sulfur batteries |
| spellingShingle | Li-Ling Chiu Sheng-Heng Chung Electrochemically Stable Rechargeable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Equipped with an Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Film Polymers electrospinning high-loading cathodes stabilized lithium anodes energy density lithium–sulfur batteries |
| title | Electrochemically Stable Rechargeable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Equipped with an Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Film |
| title_full | Electrochemically Stable Rechargeable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Equipped with an Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Film |
| title_fullStr | Electrochemically Stable Rechargeable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Equipped with an Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Film |
| title_full_unstemmed | Electrochemically Stable Rechargeable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Equipped with an Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Film |
| title_short | Electrochemically Stable Rechargeable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Equipped with an Electrospun Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber Film |
| title_sort | electrochemically stable rechargeable lithium sulfur batteries equipped with an electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofiber film |
| topic | electrospinning high-loading cathodes stabilized lithium anodes energy density lithium–sulfur batteries |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/6/1460 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lilingchiu electrochemicallystablerechargeablelithiumsulfurbatteriesequippedwithanelectrospunpolyacrylonitrilenanofiberfilm AT shenghengchung electrochemicallystablerechargeablelithiumsulfurbatteriesequippedwithanelectrospunpolyacrylonitrilenanofiberfilm |