Multi-duties for one post: Biodegradable bacterial cellulose-based separator for lithium sulfur batteries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• High-energy density lithium sulfur batteries face safety risks due to active materials.
• The shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and slow redox kinetics hinder practical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multifunctional separator for lithium sulfur batteries by interfacial engineering.
• To address safety hazards and improve the performance of lithium sulfur batteries.

Main Methods:

• Utilized porous bacterial cellulose (PBC) membrane for thermal stability and puncture resistance.
• Incorporated a difunctional Ti3C2Tx-SnS2 modified layer for LiPSs capture and redox catalysis.
• Fabricated a "one-for-all" separator design through interfacial engineering.

Main Results:

• The Ti3C2Tx-SnS2-PBC separator demonstrated high thermostability (no shrinking at 200 °C).
• Achieved an ionic conductivity of 2.171 mS/cm at 180 °C.
• Improved capacity retention by 71.2% compared to a standard polypropylene (PP) separator.

Conclusions:

• The proposed interfacial engineering strategy successfully created a multifunctional separator.
• The developed separator effectively mitigates safety hazards and enhances lithium sulfur battery performance.
• This approach offers a viable solution for advancing lithium sulfur battery technology.