Polysulfide‐Shuttle Control in Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries with a Chemically/Electrochemically Compatible NaSICON‐Type Solid Electrolyte

Abstract

A NaSICON‐type Li+‐ion conductive membrane with a formula of Li1+ x Y x Zr2− x (PO4)3 (LYZP) (x = 0–0.15) has been explored as a solid‐electrolyte/separator to suppress polysulfide‐crossover in lithium‐sulfur (Li‐S) batteries. The LYZP membrane with a reasonable Li+‐ion conductivity shows both favorable chemical compatibility with the lithium polysulfide species and exhibits good electrochemical stability under the operating conditions of the Li‐S batteries. Through an integration of the LYZP solid electrolyte with the liquid electrolyte, the hybrid Li‐S batteries show greatly enhanced cyclability in contrast to the conventional Li‐S batteries with the porous polymer (e.g., Celgard) separator. At a rate of C/5, the hybrid Li ||LYZP|| Li2S6 batteries developed in this study (with a Li‐metal anode, a liquid/LYZP hybrid electrolyte, and a dissolved lithium polysulfide cathode) delivers an initial discharge capacity of ≈1000 mA h g−1 (based on the active sulfur material) and retains ≈90% of the initial capacity after 150 cycles with a low capacity fade‐rate of <0.07% per cycle.