Lithium sulfur batteries offer a number of advantages over lithium ion batteries, such as low cost, high capacity, and high energy density. However, it is hard to find appropriate electrolytes, and capacity tends to degrade upon cycling.

A team of researchers led by Guoxiu Wang, University of Technology Sydney, Australia, has reported a sulfur/graphene nanocomposite as a cathode material for improved lithium sulfur batteries. The nanocomposite was prepared by impregnating graphene nanosheets with melted elemental sulfur. The sulfur intercalates between the nanosheets in a sandwich structure. This cushions the effect of the volume expansion of sulfur during electrochemical cycling resulting in high lithium storage capacities (pictured).

With a bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonamide-based electrolyte, the new nanocomposite showed high initial lithium storage capacities and good cyclability, thus paving the way for future applications of lithium sulfur batteries.

_{Image: © Wiley-VCH}

• Superior Electrochemical Performance of Sulfur/Graphene Nanocomposite Material for High-Capacity Lithium–Sulfur Batteries,
  B. Wang, K. Li, D. Su, H. Ahn, G. Wang,
  Chem. Asian J. 2012.
  DOI: 10.1002/asia.201200004