Marketing lithium-sulphur batteries to increase their potential in the market
Their high specific energy and cost-effectiveness mean lithium-sulphur batteries (LSBs) are well positioned to succeed lithium-ion batteries. In fact, LSBs have been shown to deliver specific energies in the order of 500 to 600 W h/kg, significantly better than the 150 to 250 W h/kg achieved by lithium-ion batteries. However, these advantages are offset by a number of problems that have slowed down the commercialisation of LSBs. They include the low electrical conductivity of the cathode and the irreversible loss of active materials when dissolving the lithium-sulphur in the electrolyte.
Hence the HELI – High energy lithium sulphur cells and batteries project is working on the commercialisation of lithium sulphur batteries in order to increase their market potential. To this end HELI is developing three different series of prototype lithium sulphur cells with the following capacities:
- Energy density of 500 Wh/kg and specific power of 1000 W/kg under normal operating conditions.
- Durability of at least 5 years and a lifetime of 1,000 cycles under full discharge/charge conditions.
- Understanding the ageing of prototype lithium-sulphur cells and advocating a mechanism to predict the ageing of lithium-sulphur cells and battery assemblies in different climatic environments.
- Fully analysing lithium-sulphur cells through various safety tests.
- Bringing lithium-sulphur technology to technology readiness levels (TRL) ≥ 4.
This work has achieved the right chemical environment to enable excellent reversibility and rideability with moderate energy density of lithium-sulphur batteries.
Programme and call: Project funded by the H2020 programme under the call INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP – Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Advanced materials and also by the HORIZON 2020 programme under the call Materials development and transformation
Period: 2015-2019
