Long-cycle-life lithium-sulfur batteries with lithium solvate ionic liquids

The electrochemical properties of a sulfur positive electrode in equimolar glyme-Li salt mixtures were investigated. Cyclic voltammograms indicated that the insertion of Li into the sulfur/carbon composite electrode took place over at least three steps during the reduction process. In contrast, the broad anodic current suggested that the electrode kinetics for the extraction of Li were relatively slow. Stable charge-discharge operation of the Li-S cell consisting of a Li negative electrode with [Li(triglyme)][bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide] as the electrolyte was achieved at 800 cycles. This indicates that dissolution of Li₂S_x into the electrolyte was effectively suppressed in this system.