Stabilisation of rare allotrope could be key to making lithium-sulfur batteries work
Gamma sulfur allows batteries to operate in conventional electrolyte without cell-killing side reactions
The stabilisiation of a rare form of sulfur has allowed researchers to cut out troublesome side-reactions in lithium-sulfur (LiS) batteries – a discovery that could help usher in the next generation of energy storage.
LiS batteries are hotly tipped to be stars in a transition to electrification as sulfur is cheap, abundant and packs an energy punch. For applications where energy density is critical – aviation for example – lithium-sulfur batteries could be the answer. But LiS batteries have some major problems to overcome before they hit the market.