Hard Materials Seminar - "Optimizing a chemo-mechanically governed microstructure for lithium-sulfur solid-state batteries"

Given their superior theoretical gravimetric energy densities, lithium-sulfur batteries are an alluring alternative to a conventional lithium-ion system. In practice, however, lithium-sulfur systems suffer subpar performance due to poor reaction kinetics and polysulfide shuttle. Utilizing a solid electrolyte removes polysulfide shuttle, but it brings about new challenges such as interfacial contact, cathode microstructure, and synthesis methodologies. In this talk, we will walk through a clear progression from cathode fabrication and microstructure to chemo-mechanics and electrochemical performance for a solid-state lithium-sulfur system. Current optimization and characterization of the fabrication process will be discussed. Ultimately, this work aims to propose a methodology to achieve a lithium-sulfur system with better chemo-mechanical stability and electrochemical performance via a microstructure-tailored design.