Conference Session B5 Paper 207 Disclaimer—This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is based on publicly available information and may not provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for any purpose other than these authors’ partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk. TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN LI-S BATTERIES AND THEIR APPLICATION IN RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES Joshua Misiura, [email protected], Mena 1PM, Andrew Impellitteri, [email protected], Mahboobin 4PM Abstract—A major challenge that humanity will face in the future is the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Gilbert Masters, a professor of engineering at Stanford, has stated that the world will completely run out of oil in around 41 years. To overcome this change batteries, must be employed to store the energy created at peak times so it can be used at any time. Currently, batteries are relatively inefficient at storing energy compared to petrochemicals but lithium sulfur batteries offer a cheaper and more energy dense alternative to the traditional lithium-ion battery. A lithium sulfur battery differs from a lithium ion battery in that the cathode is replaced by either pure sulfur or a mixture of polymers and sulfur. According to the Journal of Power Sources, lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have the potential to be almost five times higher in specific energy (capacity) than the leading commercial LiCoO2 battery, indicating a momentous reward for any advancements in this technology. The challenges faced by researchers attempting to build Li-S batteries are, “their poor rechargeability and high selfdischarge rates.” Many technologies to improve Li-S are currently being studied such as graphene polymers, zerodimensional sulfur matrices, and core/yolk shell structure cathodes. In one study, researchers created an “Li-S cell using a dual-type hybrid sulfur cathode and a lithiated Si/SiOx nanosphere anode with an optimized liquid electrolyte,” which increased the capacity of the battery and maintained capacity even after several hundred cycles (recharges). Key Words—Lithium-ion batteries, Lithium–sulfur batteries, Rechargeable batteries, Renewable energy, Sulfur cathodes, Sustainability THE PROBLEM OF FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENCE The problem of scarcity with regards to fossil fuels does not have one simple solution. The inevitable end of fossil fuels will no doubt bring about an era of mass technological change, and according to a one Stanford engineer, Gilbert Masters, it is going to happen sooner than most think: in around forty years [1]. Currently, carbon based sources of energy are far preferable to batteries because of their University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering 1 03.03.2017 extremely high energy density. Not even the most efficient rechargeable batteries come close to the high energy density of gasoline (4.32 MJ/L compared to 34.2 MJ/L respectively) [2]. Generating stations that rely on petrochemicals also have the advantage that they can produce any amount of electricity at any given time to meet customer demand while renewable methods such as wind or solar generation are limited by nature and our own progress in their technological fields. With the scarcity of petrochemicals in mind, it becomes apparent that storing energy is necessary to meet energy demand, and batteries are the obvious solution to this. With the creation of higher energy density batteries, the transition to renewable energy could be made less arduous because the same amount of energy could be produced with far fewer batteries, which helps makes other technological advances, such as electric-powered vehicles, more efficient. Presently, there are numerous battery technologies being investigated such as lithium-air, lithium Manganese Oxide, and lithium cobalt oxide, but in this paper we will be focusing on Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) batteries and the particular challenges faced by researchers in creating an effective Li-S battery [3]. There are several different technologies such as graphene sulfur polymers, core/yolk–shell structures, and zero dimensional porous carbon–sulfur composites, which are potential candidates for possible functional designs of a Li-S battery [3]. WHAT IS A LITHIUM ION BATTERY A lithium sulfur battery consists of a lithium anode, a sulfur based cathode often mixed with carbon, and an electrolyte that allows Li ions to pass through. The battery during discharge “converts lithium metal in the anode into Li2S at the surface of the cathode. The flow of two lithium ions from the anode to the cathode is then balanced by the flow of two electrons between the battery contacts, delivering double the current of a Li-ion battery at a voltage between about 1.7 and 2.5 volts” [3]. In most Li batteries, such as Liion, the process is intercalation: the process where ions are inserted in between layered molecular structures; however, in an Li-S battery, an S8 ring attached to a carbon layer is broken down by the lithium ions into smaller chains, which eventually are reduced down to Li2S. The operating voltage Joshua Misiura Andrew Impellitteri for Li-S is safer than the voltage produced by Li-ion batteries which range from 3.2 to 3.8 V [4]. The lower operating voltage presents less safety hazards without sacrificing battery effectiveness, as the battery is still able to deliver more current than a Li-ion battery. In addition to the Li2S battery delivering a greater current than that of tradition Liion batteries, it also has a much higher gravimetric (in terms of weight) and volumetric (in terms of volume) energy densities at 2500 Wh kg−1 and 2800 Wh L−1, respectively [4]. A high gravimetric density is important for consumer products because it means a higher battery life compared to the weight of the device while high volumetric density is more important for large systems that require batteries such as electric vehicles or energy storage stations, because the amount of space limited by design factors determines the amount of energy that can be stored. favorable mechanical properties because of its fully interconnected polymer membranes. In addition to gel polymer electrolytes, ionic liquid electrolytes have attracted attention. They have several advantages including negligible vapor pressure, nonflammability, high lithium ion conductivity, and lithium dendrite inhibition. One such electrolyte, comprised of nmethyl-n-butyl-piperidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (PP14TFSI), as well as other organic compounds, exhibits a coulombic efficiency of over 98% and a high cycling stability [6]. However production of PP14TFSI is very expensive, making it unlikely to be used in any widespread applications. In cases where cost in unimportant and there is a need for extremely high performance batteries, this technology be implemented. GRAPHENE-SULFUR POLYMERS PROBLEMS WITH TRADITIONAL LI-S TECHNOLOGY One development in the engineering of more reliable Li-S batteries came out of a joint research study out of laboratories located at places such as Princeton, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Wuhan, China, which showed the effect of integrating carbon-sheeting technology into the sulfur cathodic component of the battery [7]. In this study, researchers saw potential in integrating the carbon sheets in the form of graphene. Graphene was first thought of as a candidate for this study because of its high electrical conductivity and surface area, as well as its previous reputation of stabilization from testing done on electrodes for lithium-ion batteries [7]. To combine the sulfur and the graphene sheeting, the researchers had to first prepare the graphene by conducting a thermal expansion process on graphene oxide, while still keeping the carbon-oxygen ratio optimal [7]. In the end, the carbon to oxygen ratio was 14, which still allowed for efficient electrical conductivity [7]. This graphene oxide then coated each sulfur molecule to create what is known as a functionalized graphene sheetssulfur nanocomposite, or FGSS [7]. This sheet-sulfur system resembles what the researchers called a sandwich structure, with each sulfur molecule uniformly encased between the graphene sheets. This uniform distribution of sulfur particles, along with the encasement of the particles, allows a, “higher reversible capacity at fast charge/discharge rates” [7]. To test this material, it is then coated in Nafion, a common proton exchange membrane, and then tested as a cathode. After testing, it is found that the lithium-sulfur battery with the FGSS has a reversible capacity of 960 mAh g-1 at .1C, with greater than 70% capacity retention after 100 cycles, which is comparable to high-grade graphene-integrated lithium-ion reversible capacity and retention at 718 mAh g-1 [8]. Though it is an important advancement in the engineering of an effective Li-S battery, this research did not provide a complete solution for the issues revolving around Li-S batteries. For example, it was shown in from the results that the sulfur loading after 40 cycles was extremely low (around 20%) and its capacity drops from over 1100 mAh/g With all the theoretical advantages discussed above it may be puzzling why these batteries have not been widely adopted. Though, when looking at sulfur’s physical properties, it becomes clear why they have not been fully integrated. Sulfur is an efficient insulator (5 × 10−30 S cm−1 at 25 °C) so extensive work must be done to make it conductive to electricity. Additionally, when in a battery, the sulfur as a cathode will form polysulfide intermediates which easily dissolve into the electrolyte layer and reduce the batteries capacity very quickly [3][4]. Compounding this with the problem of expansion makes engineering a working battery even harder. During cycling (charging and discharging), the volume of the battery can expand up to 80% and then contracts the same amount during discharge [4]. Batteries that expand such a large amount cannot be put in cell phones or other common electronics without significant reworking because they would break very quickly as the internal strain would occur and the contact between the electrode and the current collector would be lost. Choice of electrolyte is also a challenge with building Li-S batteries. Traditional liquid organic electrolytes have a high conductivity and low viscosity for ion transport, but lack the strength and durability of solid state electrolytes, as well as being prone to dendrites (crystalline precipitation of metal) forming [3]. The dendrites can severely impede the ability for electrons to flow because they increase the anode’s ability to insulate, and therefore reduce the cycling stability and capacity of the battery. Gel polymer electrolytes can provide an option with the advantages of both methods. To produce the electrolyte, polypropylene is coated with nanoAl2O3 and then electrospun with poly vinylidene fluoridehexafluoropropylene [5]. Electrospinning involves using an electrical force on a charged polymer to create an extremely thin chemical fiber. This method of production, in particular, produces an electrolyte with high ionic conductivity and 2 Joshua Misiura Andrew Impellitteri to about 600 mAh/g [7]. This is the same common issue, due to dissolution, that is a problem in Li-S batteries across the board. This recurrent problem is the exact reason that several other different methods of creating efficient sulfur batteries have been researched, such as the core/yolk and the porous carbon sulfur composites, which we will talk about in detail in the following sections. The best implementation of graphene seen thus far has been to use an interlayer between the sulfur cathode and the separator which substantially boosts the batteries ability to stop polysulfide dissolution. This is known as a solid electrolyte interface and helps to minimize sulfur side reactions. The batteries using this type of technology have a capacities of over 800 mAh g-1 for over 400 cycles [3]. The solid interface helps to modify existing technologies and provide more control over capacity decay, but also add more cost to the battery, although future lost cost methods of production may be explored. into the electrolyte. By thermally treating sublimed sulfur and carbon spheres researchers have achieved a microporous composite with pores that average around 0.7 nm determined through X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetry. The researchers determined that the material has a, “large reversible capacity of approximately 650 mAh g-1 even after 500 cycles at a current density of 400 mA g-1 , and displays a coulombic efficiency as high as 100% except for the initial cycle” [10]. Coulombic efficiency of 100% implies that the electrons being transferred are not engaging in any side reactions, which would reduce the electrochemical ability of the system. However, completely filling the pores with sulfur reduces the capacity of the system because an overly large density of sulfur does not allow for an effective exchange of lithium ions. This limits the overall capacity of the battery, and in order to increase capacity the volume of the pores must be made larger; however, making them too large would allow for polysulfide dissolution. Additionally, it is quite difficult to manufacture carbon with extremely small pores of similar size; therefore, more research must be done into innovation methods of production before it can become cost effective [3]. Without a cheap method of production (relative to other substitutes), this method will likely never be used on a large scale because companies are not motivated by the positive environmental impact or better electrical properties but by the products ability to make a profit, which this technology does not appeal to. Porous carbon composites have shown promise this far and will likely play a role in the Li-S batteries of the future. SULFUR CONTAINING NANOTUBES One way of augmenting the aforementioned design of sheets of graphene is creating a tube of graphene which is filled with a sulfur core. Due to their structure they allow for a fast flow of electrons and can accommodate the volume expansion of sulfur when cycling [3]. These are two of the three most essential properties a Li-S battery technology must have in addition to needed a way to contain polysulfides. Initially, simply precipitating the sulfur into the nanotube proved to be very poor electrochemically; losing discharge after just 30 cycles [9]. This is likely caused by the inability of sulfur to adhere to the walls of the nanotube. In order to properly fill the cylinder researcher had to an anodic aluminum oxide membrane template to synthesize the nanotubes in and the sulfur was then infused in the template and etched over with carbon. This microarchitecture yielded marginally better gains over the previous graphene preparations mentioned and produced 837 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C in the 100th cycle, and 432 mAh g-1 at 1 C even over 500 cycles [9]. While these numbers are better than the 718 mAh g-1 recorded in the graphene sheet example, its complexity of synthesis makes it much less likely to be used. To run the process on an industrial scale would require a large amount of energy and likely not be as sustainable as other options. CORE/YOLK-SHELL STRUCTUR FOR SULFUR CATHODES One major drawback of using two dimensional graphene polymers is that their open ends lead to dissolution of polysulfides, reducing battery capacity. Using a core/yolk structure is one of the most effective methods found thus far in countering this. In order to stop this dissolution the sphere of sulfur can be completely coated by a layer of carbon particles. This method can yield shells with up to 85% embedded sulfur content [11]. However, often times during production the conductive polymer is not properly coated, or the expansion of the sulfur can lead to polysulfide dissolution. One method of countering this is to use ultra-fine sulfur or a smaller sulfur allotrope, such as S2. In order to create a battery with this design sulfur is precipitated by a chemical reaction on a membrane. The ultrafine sulfur particles and collected and placed on a conductive layer. The battery has a reported specific capacity of 930 mAh g-1 after 50 cycles but lacks long term cycling capacity [11]. More specifically, a polypyrrole nanotube film is sandwiched between the sulfur cathode and a separating layer which stops the polarization of sulfur molecules and reduces its mobility during ZERO DIMENSIONAL POROUSSULFUR COMPOSITES A possible solution to the polysulfide dissolution problem is using microporous carbon to maximize surface area and trap the polysulfides, rather than using a two dimensional sheet of carbon or a nanotube to hold the sulfur [10]. The tiny holes in the carbon allow for the Li ions to attach to the sulfur, but are small enough so that cyclical intermediates are trapped and will not outflow and dissolve 3 Joshua Misiura Andrew Impellitteri electrochemical processes [11]. The unwanted movements of smaller sulfides is known as the shuttle effect and can cause degradation of the lithium anode and happens when larger molecules carry smaller polysulfides during an electrochemical reaction. Another general method of attacking the polysulfide dissolution problem is to create a sphere of sulfur and then embed it in a conductive sphere. After embedding it in the sphere, the inner sulfur sphere is shrunk down in size. To create the sulfur, sodium thiosulfate was reacted with hydrochloric acid to create monodisperse, or approximately similar in size, sulfur nanoparticles [11]. The sulfur sphere is coated with TiO2 and then toluene is used to remove a small amount of the sulfur sphere, allowing for a gap as seen in Fig. 1 [11]. The gap allows for the expansion or contraction of the sulfur during use while also making electrical contact with the conductive shell. other than TiO2 may further increase the stability of the system although more research must be conducted to analyze exactly which coatings produce the best results. Additionally, by combining a number of different technologies such as ultrafine sulfur particles and the core/yolk structure, a more effective battery may be possible; however, more research must be done on to which combinations of technologies produce the best results. MANUFACTURE OF LI-S BATTERIES A great advantage of Li-S batteries is their low cost of starting materials. Sulfur is a common byproduct in numerous industrial chemical processes making it much cheaper than other cathode materials, such as cobalt. Sulfur is also nontoxic, making it a better choice in comparison to heavy metals, which are often used. At Beilstein Chemical Company, research has been conducted on the problem of mass producing Li-S batteries for commercial use [13]. The process entails mixing sulfur with carbon and water to make a slurry and this coating is continuously applied in a thin layer over a sheet of aluminum. The continuous application of the slurry is important because constant production will lead to more efficient production of batteries. Using this continuous slurry process, more batteries can be made in the same amount of time, and increased production will mean lower costs for consumers. After the coatings are applied, the water is evaporated in a drying oven and the aluminium sheet is cut and layered with a separating sheet that separates the cathode and anode but also disallows the movement of polysulfides [13]. This method of production is likely much more cost effective than others because it does not involve the synthesis of porous materials, which must have holes of exactly the correct size. Several other companies are currently in the process of creating commercial Li-S batteries such as Oxis Energy, PolyPlus, Scion, and Toyota who is planning to release Li-S batteries in an electric vehicle by 2020 [13]. Judging by the amount of companies who have invested money into this idea there is certainly some hope as to the future of Li-S because they obviously believe it is profitable. An additional consideration to take into account when looking at the commercial production of these batteries is their environmental impact and sustainability. Even if a battery is very energy dense, if its production requires a large amount of energy or the use of scarce resources it will not be an effective battery in combating the problem of sustainability. This problem is addressed by the introduction of recycled materials into products. In the case of Li-S batteries, their main sulfur component can be created from recycled from petroleum waste, which greatly reduces the cost of production both economically and ecologically [14]. One of the most likely uses for Li-S batteries is likely going to be electric vehicles because they are low weight compared to their energy content and are relatively cheap. Due to the fact that automobiles are one of the largest FIG 1. [11] Process for producing a core-yolk battery structure with sulfur. In a study of capacity retention with regards to coreyolk batteries, results using this method have been quite promising. In fact, it exhibited stable cycling performance over 1,000 charge/discharge cycles at 0.5 C (1 C = 1673 mAh g-1) and after prolonged cycling over 1,000 cycles, the capacity retention was found to be 67%, which corresponds to a very small capacity decay of 0.033% per cycle (3.3% per 100 cycles), representing the best performance for long-cycle lithium–sulfur batteries so far [11]. While this stability is not nearly enough to compete with other electrochemical systems, these findings give hope for the future that Li-S batteries can eventually have a high enough capacity retention to compete with other more common batteries. In another more recent study done at Hanyang University, a lithiated SiOx sphere anode was combined with an activated carbon−sulfur composite on a gas diffusion layer (GDL) electrode in contact with a catholyte solution to which Li2S8 has been added [12]. The system delivers a maximum capacity of around 1300 mAh g-1 and a maintenance of the capacity above 99% of the initial capacity even after 100 cycles [12]. A capacity level that high even after more than 100 cycles seems promising and will likely generate more scientific interest into possible improvements on this microarchitecture. Before batteries of this type can be produced commercially, more research into further increasing cycling stability must be done. Researchers suggest that coatings 4 Joshua Misiura Andrew Impellitteri consumers of gasoline it is important to understand how shifting production into Li-S electric vehicles will affect the environment. One analysis conducted on the production of Li-S batteries specifically made for vehicles concluded that 471 kg of input materials are necessary to manufacture a 279 kg battery [15]. Additionally it was found that, through modelling industrial-scale processes, they estimate an energy consumption in the range of 11.3 - 22.8 kWh kg-1 cell can be achieved for the large scale Li-S cell production [15]. Understanding how much energy goes into producing a product is important because it ultimately determines how sustainable that technology will be. By seeing which parts of production consume the most energy or require expensive or hazardous material inputs, manufacturers can attempt to overcome these technological challenges and build a more sustainable battery. For the life cycle energy consumption, the battery use phase takes a share of 71%, followed by battery manufacturing at 22%, and battery materials processing at 7% [15]. The paper that published these results used the most current Li-S manufacturing methods as of writing this paper because it was just very recently published. By both changing the battery design and components the amount of energy used in manufacture and materials processing could likely be reduced and the battery could reach the U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium target for energy density and still be a sustainable product [15]. Specifically, the nanodispersion method used takes up too much energy when compared to the rest of production. Additionally, a binder free electrode would help to lower costs as well as recycling batteries from spent electric vehicles [15]. The binder adds significant energy to the process as well as requiring many more inputs to synthesize it so creating a method that goes without it is integral to creating a sustainable battery. and 1,3-diisopropenylbenzene, or DIB for short. The process they use to incorporate these two is known as an inverse vulcanization reaction, where a rubber or other synthetic material is melted or broken down and then added to the elemental sulfur. This allows the researchers to create a material with an elemental sulfur content of 90-99%. Alongside the DIB, researchers also added other organic petroleum byproducts to the inverse vulcanization such as 1,3-diethynylbenzene and 1,4 diphenylbutadiyne to serve as part of this cathode; however, due to these chemicals’ toxic nature, this route has become unworthy of following. This reaction showed to be fairly inexpensive as well as repeatable at a larger scale, which was an important first step in creating a sustainable, efficient Li-S battery [14]. SULFUR COPOLYMER-GRAPHENE COMPOSITE BATTERY Fig 2. [14] Performance of Sulfur Copolymer vs sulfur alone during electrochemical testing. As mentioned, in order for a technology to be sustainable, the technology must not only be ecologically safe, it must also be efficient in function and also to produce. For many such technologies, such as the porous carbon method, these technologies are much too expensive to be able to be commercially produced while being economically efficient. However, introducing the concept of recycled material into technology can enhance the product’s ability to actively function in the market and as a sustainable good. Researchers tried this approach when seeing the problems with Li-S batteries and have found that they can use recycled sulfur from petroleum waste as well as cardanol, an agricultural byproduct, to create effective Li-S batteries with minimal drawbacks [14]. The battery described above is derived from the byproducts to create a copolymerization of elemental sulfur After testing, this product alone did not work. Due to the nature of the compound, which features an organicstructured benzoaxine that has multiple reaction sites for the high percentage of sulfur to bond to, the copolymer was found to have a very low electrochemical performance. Looking further, the sulfur, which already has a low electrical conductivity, paired with the C-a of the benzoaxine, created an environment which had a resulting low electrical conductivity. This created the need for another component to be added to increase electrical conductivity. Following previous research on items such as carbon nanotubes, core/yolk methods, or additives, researchers had to determine whether to follow another method while also incorporating 5 Joshua Misiura Andrew Impellitteri their copolymer or add another component to increase its electrical conductivity [14]. The researchers found that they needed to add a component with high surface area as well as a fair electrical conductivity to counteract the copolymers poor performance. Luckily, numerous tests had been done on graphene oxides as a form of upgrading the electrical conductivity of pure sulfur cathodes; however, this additive had drawbacks, such as its inability to reduce dissolution of sulfur molecules. Through research, it was found that using a reducing agent on the graphene oxide could curtail some of the ailments that plagued both the graphene oxide infused cathode as well as other methods issues of dissolution [14]. The researchers decided to use rGOs (reduced graphene oxides) because it functions even better than graphene oxide does, while eliminating potential problems with graphene’s drawbacks. To reduce this GO compound and create an rGO for utilization in the cathode, the researchers used another sustainable and readily available compound in the form of gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid). The use of the rGO allowed for an even chemical dispersion of the graphene through the sulfur copolymer, allowing for “excellent’ electrochemical performance . As shown in figure 2, the sulfur copolymer functioned even better than pure elemental sulfur in Potential v Capacity and Capacity v Cycles [14]. These statistics are important, especially capacity v cycles, because after several cycles, many Li-S batteries face a large drop in capacity due to dissolution. However, the presence of the rGO in the copolymer counteracts this negative effect of dissolution and allows the battery to function effectively even after several cycles. example, the current Tesla Model S uses an advanced lithium ion battery functioning in the range of 200-265 Wh/kg. If equipped with an Li-S battery that functions at about 375 Wh/kg, which could soon become commercially available, the mileage of a full battery charge will go from between 240-265 to between 360-400 miles [16][17]. On top of cutting manufacturing costs for less batteries, this advancement makes the Model S much more marketable against current natural gas fueled vehicles. If effective, more businesses may catch onto the electric vehicle trend, and help eliminate the need for fossil fuel dependence. Not only would creating an efficient Li-S battery be cost efficient for the future, it would also provide for a cleaner and greener future. SOURCES [1] M. Chandler. “It's About Forty Years Until the Oil Runs Out.” Insights by Stanford Business. 1.1.08. Accessed 2.06.17. [2] "Aircraft Fuels." Energy, Technology and the Environment. Ed. Attilio Bisio. Vol. 1. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1995. 257–259 [3] L. Chen, L. Shaw. “Recent advances in lithium– sulfur batteries.” Journal of Power Sources. 12.1.15. Accessed 1.12.17. [4] N. Canas, K. Hirose, B. Pascucci et al. “Investigations of lithium–sulfur batteries using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.” Electrochimica acta. 5.1.13. Accessed 1.12.17. [5] H. Guan, F. Lian, Y. Ren et al. “Comparative study of different membranes as separators for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.” International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy, and Materials. 5.11.13. Accessed 3.2.17. [6] L. Yuan, J. Feng, X. Ai et al. “Improved dischargeability and reversibility of sulfur cathode in a novel ionic liquid electrolyte.” Electrochemistry Communications. 03.07.06. Accessed 2.10.17. [7] Y. Cao, X. Li, I. Aksay et al. “Sandwich-type functionalized graphene sheet-sulfur nanocomposite for rechargeable lithium batteries.” Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 03.08.11. Accessed 2.10.17. [8] P. Lian, X. Zhou, S. Liang et al. “Large reversible capacity of high quality graphene sheets as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries.” Electrochimica Acta. 4.2.10. Accessed 3.3.17. [9] S. Han, M. Song, H. Li et al. “Effect of multiwalled carbon nanotubes on electrochemical properties of lithium/sulfur rechargeable batteries.” Journal of Electrochemical Society. 4.16.03. Accessed 3.3.17. [10] B. Zhang, X. Qin, G. Li et al. “Enhancement of long stability of sulfur cathode by encapsulating sulfur into micropores of carbon spheres” Energy and Environmental Science. 6.15.10. Accessed 3.2.17. [11] Y. Qiu W. Li, G. Li et al. “Polyaniline-modified cetyltrimethylammonium bromide– graphene oxide– TRANSITIONING TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE As traditional means of energy become more scarce the world will become more and more dependent on batteries. Low cost, high capacity rechargeable batteries will become highly demanded. After analysing the current literature on LiS technology it seems as though advances in stopping the dissolution of polysulfides reduces the overall capacity of the battery because they decrease the amount of available sites for an electrochemical reaction to occur. With further research into Li-S battery technology companies could provide a battery which has a high energy density, low cost of production and strong cycling stability. With such a battery, the battery market could become more diversified and less dependent on Li-ion technology than it is currently reliant upon. Overall, battery prices would not surge as much if something happens to the production of Li-ion batteries and therefore protects and betters the market for average consumers. If researchers manage to manufacture an effective Li-S battery, it’s high energy density can mean endless possibilities both economically and ecologically. For 6 Joshua Misiura Andrew Impellitteri sulfur nanocomposites with enhanced performance for lithium–sulfur batteries.” Nano Research. 4.20.14. Accessed 3.1.17. [10] G. Ma, Z. Wen, Q. Wang et al. “Enhanced performance of lithium sulfur battery with self-assembly polypyrrole nanotube film as the functional interlayer.” Journal of Power Sources. 8.22.14. Accessed 3.1.17. [11] Z. Wei Seh, W. Li, J. Cha et al. “Sulphur–TiO2 yolk–shell nanoarchitecture with internal void space for long-cycle lithium–sulphur batteries.” Nature Communications. 8.23.12. Accessed 3.1.17. [12] J. Ayre. “New Lithium-Sulfur Battery With Cycle Performance Comparable To That Of Lithium-Ion Batteries & Double The Energy Density.” Cleantechnica. 4.15.15. Accessed 1.12.17. [13] S. Brase. “Lithium-Sulfur Battery: From Materials Development to Production.” Beilstein TV. 6.20.14. Accessed 1.27.14. [14] A. Ghosh, S. Shukla, G. Singh et al. “Sustainable Sulfur-rich Copolymer/Graphene Composite as Lithium-Sulfur Battery Cathode with Excellent Electrochemical Performance.” Scientific Reports. 4.28.16. Accessed 3.3.17. [15] Y. Deng, J. Li, T. Li , X. Gao et. al. “Life cycle assessment of lithium sulfur battery for electric vehicles.” Journal of Power Sources. 1.27.17. Accessed 3.3.17. [16] “ALISE Project Overview.” ALISE Research Group. 1.5.15. Accessed 3.3.17. [17] D. Eroglu, Y. Zhao, Z. Li et al. “Modeling the Effect of Carbon to Sulfur Ratio in the Cathode on the Electrochemical Performance of a Li-S Cell.” Journal of Electrochemistry Society. 4.31.15. Accessed 3.3.17 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Andrew Impellitteri would like to acknowledge Trevor Devine and his mother. Josh Misiura would like to acknowledge his parents and Jerry Garcia. 7
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