Car manufacturers and energy companies are eager to adopt lithium-sulphur (Li-S) batteries. They promise more energy, faster charging, better safety, and lower costs than lithium-ion batteries.
But a major hurdle has held them back – Li-S cells wear out too quickly.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) believe they may have solved that problem.
A new coating, developed and patented under the HiSep-II project, could extend battery life fivefold and make these lighter, cheaper packs a serious option for electric cars.
Li-S batteries degrade fast because of the shuttle effect. When the battery operates, lithium polysulfides form and move between the anode and cathode. That movement causes the battery to lose capacity quickly.
“This happens because chemical substances, lithium polysulfides (LPS), form when the battery is in operation. The substances move between the electrodes,…
