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In Situ Lithiated Reference Electrode: Four Electrode Design for In-operando Impedance Spectroscopy
Published on: September 12, 2018
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Insight on the Li2S electrochemical process in a composite configuration electrode
Lorenzo Carbone1, Roberta Verrelli1, Mallory Gobet2
1Sapienza University of Rome, Chemistry Department, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
New Journal of Chemistry = Nouveau Journal De Chimie
|May 17, 2016
Summary
Researchers developed a low-cost, sustainable lithium sulfide-carbon composite cathode for lithium-sulfur batteries. This novel cathode achieves high capacity and stable performance over 70 cycles, paving the way for efficient battery applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Developing sustainable and cost-effective cathode materials is crucial for advancing lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery technology.
- Existing Li-S battery research often faces challenges with cathode stability and performance limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel, low-cost, and environmentally sustainable lithium sulfide-carbon composite cathode material.
- To investigate the electrochemical performance and interfacial properties of this new cathode in a Li-S cell.
- To understand the activation process of the Li2S cathode during initial charging.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a composite cathode using polyethylene oxide (PEO), LiCF3SO3, and Li2S-C powders.
- Electrochemical characterization in a lithium-metal cell with a LiCF3SO3 in dioxolane-dimethylether (DOL-DME) electrolyte, with LiNO3 addition.
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to study electrolyte diffusion properties.
- X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to analyze cell operation and interfacial characteristics.
Main Results:
- The Li2S-C composite cathode demonstrated a specific capacity of approximately 500 mAh g-1 (based on Li2S mass).
- The Li-S cell maintained optimal performance for over 70 cycles at a C/5 rate with a steady-state efficiency nearing 99%.
- XRD and EIS analyses confirmed the reversibility of the Li2S electrochemical process and indicated a low, stable electrode-electrolyte interface impedance.
Conclusions:
- The developed lithium sulfide-carbon composite cathode offers a promising, sustainable, and cost-effective solution for advanced lithium-sulfur batteries.
- The addition of LiNO3 to the electrolyte is critical for achieving practical performance with this cathode.
- Understanding the cathode activation process and interfacial behavior is key to optimizing Li-S battery efficiency.
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