Exploiting nonaqueous self-stratified electrolyte systems toward large-scale energy storage.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 37081028.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-023-37995-8 and PMC identifier 10119102.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Biphasic self-stratified batteries (BSBs) provide a new direction in battery philosophy for large-scale energy storage, which successfully reduces the cost and simplifies the architecture of redox flow batteries. However, current aqueous BSBs have intrinsic limits on the selection range of electrode materials and energy density due to the narrow electrochemical window of water. Thus, herein, we develop nonaqueous BSBs based on Li-S chemistry, which deliver an almost quadruple increase in energy density of 88.5 Wh L-1 as compared with the existing aqueous BSBs systems. In situ spectral characterization and molecular dynamics simulations jointly elucidate that while ensuring the mass transfer of Li+, the positive redox species are strictly confined to the bottom-phase electrolyte. This proof-of-concept of Li-S BSBs pushes the energy densities of BSBs and provides an idea to realize massive-scale energy storage with large capacitance.