Integrated graphene-sulfur cathode and separator with plasma enhancement for Li-S batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery has been extensively studied due to its high theoretical energy density. Carbon materials have been developed as conductive scaffolds to improve the electrical conductivity of sulfur, and as a coating layer of the separator to restrain the shuttling effect of polysulfid...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Carbon (New York) 2018-11, Vol.139, p.1093-1103
Main Authors: Hsieh, Yu-Yun, Zhang, Lu, DeArmond, Derek, Kanakaraj, Sathya Narayan, Adusei, Paa Kwasi, Alvarez, Noe T., Fang, Yanbo, Daum, Jeremy, Shanov, Vesselin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adhesion
Batteries
Cathodes
Coating effects
Electric contacts
Electrical resistivity
Electrode materials
Flux density
Graphene
Lithium sulfur batteries
Materials selection
Morphology
Oxygen
Oxygen plasma
Scaffolds
Separators
Sulfur
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Summary:Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery has been extensively studied due to its high theoretical energy density. Carbon materials have been developed as conductive scaffolds to improve the electrical conductivity of sulfur, and as a coating layer of the separator to restrain the shuttling effect of polysulfide. However, previous designs of the Li-S battery lack a good adhesion between the cathode and the separator, thus motivating further research on design and materials selection to achieve the optimal battery performance. Herein, the free-standing oxygen plasma functionalized three-dimensional graphene-sulfur (O3DG-S)/polypropylene (OPP) separator composite introduces for the first-time, tri-functional structure (TFS) in a Li-S battery: a current collector, cathode material and a part of the separator. The O3DG exhibited a moderate electrical conductivity, with very good mechanical integrity, making it a promising candidate as a flexible current collector, as well as a scaffold for sulfur. The unique surface morphology of O3DG-S treated by oxygen plasma functionalization for promoting a seamless contact with commercial PP separator for a “Janus type” multifunctional separator structure. The TFS showed a capacity of ∼1400 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C with a sulfur loading of ∼70 wt% and a high cyclic performance of Li-S battery. O3DG-S processed through plasma functionalization, promotes a seamless contact with OPP separator, facilitating the TFS for use in Li-S battery. [Display omitted]
ISSN:0008-6223
1873-3891
DOI:10.1016/j.carbon.2018.08.025