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Understanding and mitigating mechanical degradation in lithium–sulfur batteries: additive manufacturing of Li2S composites and nanomechanical particle compressions

  • Invited Feature Paper
  • Focus Issue: Multi-material Additive Manufacturing
  • Published:
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Abstract

Lithium–sulfur batteries are poised to outcompete lithium-ion batteries in key sectors such as transportation and grid storage due to the low cost and high theoretical energy density of sulfur as a cathode material. Widespread implementation of this technology is hindered by significant degradation during cycling, including mechanical failure via cracking or detachment of insulating lithium sulfide (Li2S) from the conductive matrix in the cathode, causing irreversible capacity fade. We developed a technique to additively manufacture Li2S composites to fabricate rationally designed cathodes and demonstrate the utility of a three dimensionally architected Li2S composite cathode in a battery. We additionally measure the yet unknown material properties and deformation mechanisms of Li2S powders via in situ scanning electron microscope (SEM) nanomechanical experiments. Measuring these mechanical properties is a first step towards understanding the process of mechanical degradation and is necessary to enable the rational design of high energy density, long-cycling, and mechanically robust sulfur cathodes.

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Data availability

The data and code generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the following people: Professor K. See for productive discussions, use of the glovebox, and coin cell materials. J. H. Kang for assistance with TGA. C. Ma for assistance with SEM/EDS. H. Zhang and B. Edwards for assistance with nanomechanical measurements.

Funding

This work was supported by the Resnick Sustainability Institute.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA

    Max A. Saccone

  2. Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA

    Julia R. Greer

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  1. Max A. Saccone
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  2. Julia R. Greer
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MAS and JRG conceived of and designed the experiments. MAS performed the experiments. MAS and JRG wrote the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Max A. Saccone.

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Saccone, M.A., Greer, J.R. Understanding and mitigating mechanical degradation in lithium–sulfur batteries: additive manufacturing of Li2S composites and nanomechanical particle compressions. Journal of Materials Research 36, 3656–3666 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43578-021-00182-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/s43578-021-00182-w

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