Lithium-sulfur batteries could store three times more energy than today’s lithium-ion packs, but sulfur’s insulating nature and tendency to leak capacity-killing polysulfides have kept them from practical use. This fellowship tackles both problems by spinning sulfur-rich polymers and conductive carbon into a non-woven fibre mat that serves directly as a battery cathode—no ink, no coating step. The fibrous structure traps polysulfides and provides a huge electrochemical surface area, promising initial capacities above 1300 mAh g⁻¹ and 80% retention after 100 cycles, compared to conventional sulfur electrodes that lose half their capacity in 50 cycles. If successful, the work could enable longer-range mobile devices and electric vehicles without relying on scarce or expensive materials. The researcher also plans to replace some carbon components with biomass waste like lignin, and to conduct a life-cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis to ensure the electrodes are fully recyclable. Beyond batteries, the same fibre mats could capture mercury from water, pointing to broader environmental applications.
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Electrospun composite cathodes combining inverse vulcanised sulfur polymers can contribute to fully exploit the potential of lithium sulfur batteries by combining the high surface area from the electrospun 1D nanofibres with the inclusion of high sulfur content copolymers, enabling faster charging rates, using a fully scalable processing technique. In a comparison with commercially available lithium-ion batteries for mobile applications, lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries exhibit a high theoretical specific energy of 2600 Wh/kg, at least three times higher than the current lithium ion battery technology, making it a great contender for high energy applications in mobile devices. Yet the use of Li-S faces major hurdles, which stem from sulfur's lack of processability and insulating nature, as well polysulfide shuttle effect, all of which leads to the loss of capacity and degradation of the lithium anode through the formation of lithium sulfide. My fellowship will address these issues by using spinnable sulfur-rich copolymers in combination with conductive carbon particles and a stabilising high molecular (bio-) polymeric carrier to a non-woven fibre mat, which can be directly used as a cathode in a lithium sulfur battery without the need to making an ink to deposit onto a current collector. The interaction with the surface area of the electrospun fibres will result in an outstanding high electrochemical active surface area, while providing a stable matrix from the fibrous structure that prevent polysulfide shuttle effect. I envisage the new developed Li-S batteries to display initial capacities >1300 mA h g-1 and capacity retention of > 80% after 100 cycles, compared to current Li-S batteries with conventional sulfur electrodes which exhibit capacities of 300–500 mA h g–1 and capacity retention < 50% after 50 cycles. The outcome of this research will contribute significantly to advancing Li-S battery technology. Moreover, these new electrodes will be fully recyclable and there are plans within the fellowship to conduct life cycle assessment to explore the feasibility of the recycling process as well as technoeconomic analysis of the newly developed cathode materials. Additionally, as I develop the new electrodes, I plan to substitute some of the carbon components by biomass waste materials, such as lignin, which I have extensive experience working with. In preliminary experiments, I have demonstrated the feasibility of producing sulfur-based fibres as cathode in a Li-S battery. This fellowship takes the research to the next level which involves further tailoring of the fibres and optimisation of the conductivity for optimal application as electrode, including their application in Na-S batteries, too. I believe this project will have a positive impact in the battery community and beyond. Sulfur co-polymers have shown to exhibit outstanding capabilities in domains such as mercury capture from aqueous solutions, application for which freestanding fibre mats with large surface area would be highly beneficial.
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