Sulfurized Polypropylene as Low-Cost Cathode Material for High-Capacity Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Among 'beyond lithium ion' energy storage, lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries are one of the most promising technologies, as a result of the potential for high theoretical energy capacity at low cost. A key obstacle in exploiting the vast potential of Li-S batteries is the formation of soluble polysulfide species. Here, we report sulfurized polypropylene (S/PP-500) synthesized in one-step by reacting polypropylene (PP) with sulfur as a new polysulfide shuttle-free cathode material for Li-S batteries. It exhibits a reversible capacity as high as 1000 mAh/gsulfur at 0.1 C and a sulfur loading of up to 68 wt%, which in turn allows for high sulfur loadings up to 47 % in the final cathode. The low-cost starting materials together with the simple synthetic procedure and the good electrochemical performance in combination with a commercially available eslectrolyte make the S/PP-500 a very promising cathode material for Li-S batteries.

Automated summary

Sulfurized polypropylene (S/PP-500), synthesized by reacting polypropylene with sulfur in one step, is a promising cathode material for Li-S batteries. It exhibits high reversible capacity and high sulfur loading, while also having the advantages of low cost and a simple synthetic procedure. Its good electrochemical performance when combined with a commercially available electrolyte makes it highly attractive for use in Li-S batteries.