UC Santa Cruz

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is a promising high energy storage candidate in electric vehicles. However, the commonly employed ether based electrolyte does not enable to realize safe high-temperature Li-S batteries due to the low boiling and flash temperatures. Traditional carbonate based electrolyte obtains safe physical properties at high temperature but does not complete reversible electrochemical reaction for most Li-S batteries. Here we realize safe high temperature Li-S batteries on universal carbon-sulfur electrodes by molecular layer deposited (MLD) alucone coating. Sulfur cathodes with MLD coating complete the reversible electrochemical process in carbonate electrolyte and exhibit a safe and ultrastable cycle life at high temperature, which promise practicable Li-S batteries for electric vehicles and other large-scale energy storage systems.