Poly (dimethylsiloxane) modified lithium anode for enhanced performance of lithium-sulfur batteries

Although lithium sulfur (Li-S) battery is a promising candidate for next generation energy storage devices due to the high theoretical specific capacity and energy density, the severe corrosion and the formation of lithium dendrites hinder its practical application. Here, we demonstrated a simple method which only needed to immerse Li foil into the PDMS-contained DOL/DME solution and then evaporate the DOL/DME solvent. Finally a new protective layer on the surface of Li foil was formed. This protective layer could not only effectively stabilize the interphase of lithium anode, but also suppress the formation of dendritic lithium. With the PDMS-modified Li anode, Li-Cu and Li-S cells all delivered a stable cycling performance with a high Coulombic efficiency and a long-lifespan performance, which were all superior to the cells with the pristine Li anode. Hence, introducing PDMS to protect Li anode provided a new strategy for the improvement of Li-S batteries.