Lithium-sulphur batteries are regarded as the next generation of batteries.
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Lithium-sulphur batteries are lighter, less expensive to make, and can store nearly twice as much energy as lithium-ion batteries. The high-performance batteries are not stable enough, however, and have up until now withstood only a few charging cycles. The reason for this is the decomposition reactions of the electrolyte on the metallic lithium anode surface. Electrode failure is also considered a problem for lithium-sulphur batteries.
Researchers at the University of Texas now claim to have developed a lithium-sulphur battery that improves the conductivity of sulfur and the stability of lithium by producing an electrode from molybdenum from sulfur-carbon nanotubes. This has a higher conductivity and stabilises the other electrode with its coating of nanomaterial.
Molybdenum stabilises lithium-sulphur batteries
The researchers discovered that molybdenum combined with sulphur atoms produces a material that adjusts the thickness of the coating. "A lithium-sulphur battery is what most of the research community thinks is the next generation of battery," says Dr. Kyeongjae "K.J." Cho, professor at the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. "We are taking this to the next step and will fully stabilise the material, and bring it to actual, practical commercial technology," Cho says. Their work has been published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.