Lithium/dissolved polysulfide rechargeable lithium—sulfur batteries and methods of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9444119-B2
Application number	US-201313793418-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2013
Priority date	Mar 11, 2013
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a rechargeable Li—S battery including a cathode including a firbrous carbon material, a catholyte including a polysulfide, and an anode. In another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a charged or partially charged rechargeable Li—S battery including a cathode including a fibrous carbon material and amorphous microparticles of elemental sulfur, a catholyte including high-order polysulfides having a general formula of Li 2 S n , wherein n is at least eight, and an anode. In another embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a discharged or partially discharged rechargeable Li—S battery including a cathode including a fibrous carbon material and amorphous microparticles of Li 2 S, a catholyte including a negligible amount of polysulfides, and an anode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rechargeable Li—S battery comprising:
a catholyte comprising a polysulfide;
a cathode comprising a binder-free, self-weaving, free-standing multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and a portion of the catholyte; and
an anode.

2. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the MWCNT comprises a self-assembling paper.

3. The battery of claim 1 , wherein catholyte polysulfide has a nominal molecular formula of Li 2 S 6 .

4. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the polysulfide is present in the catholyte in an amount in which the sulfur concentration is from 1M to 8 M.

5. The battery of claim 1 , wherein the catholyte further comprises LiCF 3 SO 3 , LiTFSI, LiNO 3 , dimethoxy ethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), tetraglyme, other lithium salt, other ether-based solvents, and any combinations thereof.

6. A charged or partially charged rechargeable Li—S battery comprising:
a cathode comprising a binder-free, self-weaving, free-standing multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and amorphous microparticles of elemental sulfur derived from a catholyte;
the catholyte comprising high-order polysulfides having a general formula of Li 2 S n , wherein n is at least eight; and
an anode.

7. The battery of claim 6 , wherein the MWCNT comprises a self-assembling paper.

8. The battery of claim 6 , wherein the high-order polysulfides are derived from a catholyte with a nominal molecular formula of Li 2 S 6 through charging of the battery.

9. The battery of claim 6 , wherein the catholyte further comprises LiCF 3 SO 3 , LiTFSI, LiNO 3 , dimethoxy ethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), tetraglyme, other lithium salt, other ether-based solvents, and any combinations thereof.

10. The battery of claim 6 , wherein the battery has a discharge capacity of at least 900 mAh/g, based on mass of sulfur atoms, at a rate of C/2, a discharge capacity of at least 1000 mAh/g, based on mass of sulfur atoms, at a rate of C/5, or a discharge capacity of at least 1100 mAh/g, based on mass of sulfur atoms, at a rate of C/10.

11. The battery of claim 6 , wherein the battery retains at least 85% discharge capacity over fifty charge/discharge cycles at a voltage range of 1.8 V to 3.0 V.

12. A discharged or partially discharged rechargeable Li—S battery comprising:
a cathode comprising a binder-free, self-weaving, free-standing multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and amorphous microparticles of Li 2 S;
a catholyte comprising polysulfides; and
an anode.

13. The battery of claim 12 , wherein the MWCNT comprises a self-assembling paper.

14. The battery of claim 12 , wherein the Li 2 S is derived from a catholyte with a nominal molecular formula of Li 2 S 6 through discharging of the battery.

15. The battery of claim 12 , wherein the Li 2 S is derived from polysulfides and elemental sulfur particles present in the cathode.

16. The battery of claim 12 , wherein the catholyte further comprises LiCF 3 SO 3 , LiTFSI, LiNO 3 , dimethoxy ethane (DME), 1,3-dioxolane (DOL), tetraglyme, other lithium salt, other ether-based solvents, and any combinations thereof.

17. The battery of claim 12 , wherein the battery has a discharge capacity of at least 900 mAh/g, based on mass of sulfur atoms, at a rate of C/2, a discharge capacity of at least 1000 mAh/g, based on mass of sulfur atoms, at a rate of C/5, or a discharge capacity of at least 1100 mAh/g, based on mass of sulfur atoms, at a rate of C/10.

18. The battery of claim 12 , wherein the battery retains at least 85% discharge capacity over fifty charge/discharge cycles at a voltage range of 1.8 V to 3.0 V.

Assignees

• Manthiram Arumugam
• Fu Yongzhu
• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Manthiram Arumugam
• Fu Yongzhu

Classifications

• H01M10/0567

  characterised by the additives · CPC title

• H01M4/136

  Electrodes based on inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy · CPC title

• H01M4/663

  containing carbon or carbonaceous materials as conductive part, e.g. graphite, carbon fibres · CPC title

• H01M4/806

  Nonwoven fibrous fabric containing only fibres · CPC title

• H01M4/5815

  Sulfides · CPC title