Lithium sulfur batteries: their energy storage capacity is 5 times that of regular lithium-ion batte

2024-01-12

According to New Atlas, the energy storage capacity of lithium sulfur batteries is five times that of current lithium-ion solutions, and researchers have a strong interest in lithium sulfur batteries. A team from the University of Michigan has taken a step towards realizing their real-world potential. This breakthrough depends on a naturally inspired membrane that overcomes stability issues and provides an "almost perfect" design for the battery, allowing it to last for over a thousand cycles.

Research team leader Nicholas Kotov said, "There are many reports claiming that lithium sulfur batteries have hundreds of cycles, but thisachieved at the cost of sacrificing other parameters - capacity, charging rate, resilience, and safety. The challenge now is to manufacture a battery that can increase the cycle rate from the previous 10 cycles to hundreds of cycles and meet various other requirements, including cost."

When facing this challenge, Kotov and his colleagues turned to aramid nanofibers, which are nanoscale versions of Kevlar fibers, and molded them into carefully designed networks that mimic the structure of cell membranes. This material was injected into the electrolyte gel and prevented a common cause of battery failure, that is, the growth of dendritic crystals called dendrites formed on one of the electrodes.

Research team leader Nicholas Kotov said, "There are many reports claiming that lithium sulfur batteries have hundreds of cycles, but thisachieved at the cost of sacrificing other parameters - capacity, charging rate, resilience, and safety. The challenge now is to manufacture a battery that can increase the cycle rate from the previous 10 cycles to hundreds of cycles and meet various other requirements, including cost."

When facing this challenge, Kotov and his colleagues turned to aramid nanofibers, which are nanoscale versions of Kevlar fibers, and molded them into carefully designed networks that mimic the structure of cell membranes. This material was injected into the electrolyte gel and prevented a common cause of battery failure, that is, the growth of dendritic crystals called dendrites formed on one of the electrodes.

In the real world with fast charging technology, scientists predict that the battery can be cycled 1000 times, which is considered a lifespan of 10 years. Another beneficial fact for this device is that compared to cobalt used in lithium-ion batteries, sulfur sources are more abundant and there are fewer problems, while aramid fibers can be obtained from old bulletproof vests, making it a more environmentally friendly proposition overall.

Koto said, "The biomimetic engineering of these batteries integrates two scales - molecular and nanoscale. For the first time, we have integrated the ion selectivity of cell membranes and the toughness of cartilage. Our comprehensive system approach enables us to address the primary challenges of lithium sulfur batteries."

The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Tongkuai New Technology Exposure: Improving Laser 3D Cutting Speed