Stable Cycling of Room‐Temperature Sodium‐Sulfur Batteries Based on an In Situ Crosslinked Gel Polymer Electrolyte

Abstract

AbstractHigh‐temperature sodium‐sulfur battery (HT Na–S) technology has attracted substantial interest in the stationary energy storage sector due to its low cost and high energy density. However, the currently used solid electrolyte (ß‐alumina) is expensive and can only be operated at high temperatures, which compromises safety. On the other hand, liquid electrolytes in room temperature sodium‐sulfur batteries (RT Na–S) are susceptible to dendrite formation and polysulfide shuttle. Consequently, an electrolyte with both solid (shuttle blocking) and liquid (ionic conductivity) properties to overcome the above‐mentioned issues is highly desired. Herein, a high‐performance quasi‐solid state crosslinked gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) prepared in situ using pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA) exhibiting high ionic conductivity of 2.33 mS cm−1 at 25 °C is presented. The GPE‐based electrolyte shows high stability resulting in a high discharge capacity of >600 mAh gs−1 after 2500 cycles with an average Coulombic efficiency of 99.91%. Density functional theory calculations reveal a weak interaction between the Na+ ions and the oxygen molecules of the PETA moiety, which leads to a facile cation movement. The crosslinked polymer network is tightly connected to the cathode and can confine sulfides, thereby facilitating the conversion process.