Discharge process of the sulfur cathode with a gelatin binder

Gelatin, a natural biologic macromolecule, was successfully used as a new binder in place of poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) in the fabrication of sulfur cathode in lithium-sulfur batteries. The change of a gelatin binder sulfur cathode in the discharge-charge process was investigated by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analysis, and the results were compared with those of the sulfur cathode using PEO as a binder. Our results indicated that the gelatin binder could enhance the redox reversibility of sulfur cathode by slowing down the reducing reaction of elemental sulfur during the discharging process and reforming S(8) after the charging process. (C) 2008 The Electrochemical Society.