Sparingly Solvating Electrolytes for Lis Batteries

Abstract

Achieving reversible electrochemistry under lean electrolyte operation is key to moving LiS chemistry to potentially transformational performance.1 The use of electrolytes that are sparingly solvating to Li polysulfide intermediates is a promising approach to decouple electrolyte volume from reaction mechanism, thus creating a pathway towards high energy density LiS batteries that deviates from the current catholyte approach.2In this work, we discuss the design rules for sparingly solvating electrolytes and the unique electrochemistry that arises through the use of this class of electrolytes. 1D. Eroglu, K. R. Zavadil and K. G. Gallagher, J. Electrochem. Soc., 2015, 162, A982. 2L. Cheng, L. A. Curtiss, K. R. Zavadil, A. A. Gewirth, Y. Shao and K. G. Gallagher, ACS Energy Lett., 2016, 1, 503.