Energies 2014, 7(7), 4588-4600; doi:10.3390/en7074588
Understanding of Sulfurized Polyacrylonitrile for Superior Performance Lithium/Sulfur Battery
Electrochemistry Branch, RDRL-SED-C, Sensors and Electron Devices Directorate, U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, MD 20783-1197, USA
Received: 20 May 2014 / Revised: 17 June 2014 / Accepted: 10 July 2014 / Published: 18 July 2014
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrochemical Energy Storage—Battery and Capacitor)
Abstract
Sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) is one of the most important sulfurized carbon materials that can potentially be coupled with the carbonaceous anode to fabricate a safe and low cost “all carbon” lithium-ion battery. However, its chemical structure and electrochemical properties have been poorly understood. In this discussion, we analyze the previously published data in combination with our own results to propose a more reasonable chemical structure that consists of short –Sx– chains covalently bonded onto cyclized, partially dehydrogenated, and ribbon-like polyacrylonitrile backbones. The proposed structure fits all previous structural characterizations and explains many unique electrochemical phenomena that were observed from the Li/SPAN cells but have not been understood clearly. View Full-TextKeywords:
lithium-sulfur battery; sulfur cathode; sulfurized carbon; sulfurized polyacrylonitrile; polysulfide
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Zhang, S.S. Understanding of Sulfurized Polyacrylonitrile for Superior Performance Lithium/Sulfur Battery. Energies 2014, 7, 4588-4600.
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