Designing electrolytes with high solubility of sulfides/disulfides for high-energy-density and low-cost K-Na/S batteries.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39237528.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-024-51905-6 and PMC identifier 11377566.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
Alkaline metal sulfur (AMS) batteries offer a promising solution for grid-level energy storage due to their low cost and long cycle life. However, the formation of solid compounds such as M<sub>2</sub>S<sub>2</sub> and M<sub>2</sub>S (M = Na, K) during cycling limits their performance. Here we unveil intermediate-temperature K-Na/S batteries utilizing advanced electrolytes that dissolve all polysulfides and sulfides (K<sub>2</sub>S<sub>x</sub>, x = 1-8), significantly enhancing reaction kinetics, specific capacity, and energy density. These batteries achieve near-theoretical capacity (1655 mAh g<sup>-1</sup> sulfur) at 75 °C with a 1 M sulfur concentration. At a 4 M sulfur concentration, they deliver 830 mAh g<sup>-1</sup> at 2 mA cm<sup>-2</sup>, retaining 71% capacity after 1000 cycles. This new K-Na/S battery with specific energy of 150-250 Wh kg<sup>-1</sup> only employs earth-abundant elements, making it attractive for long-duration energy storage.