Sulfur batteries on a charge

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An rechargeable aluminium–sulfur battery with a recording-breaking operating voltage could inspire new high-capacity metal–sulfur battery designs.

Sulfur is an inexpensive, abundant element that could be paired with various metals to create batteries with high theoretical energy-storage capacities. However, metal–sulfur batteries have shown poor rechargeability and low operating voltages, with aluminium–sulfur batteries typically operating at just 0.5 volts.

University of Adelaide researchers have led work to switch up the electrochemistry of the aluminium–sulfur battery to improve performance. They developed an AlCl3/carbamate ionic liquid that interacted with sulfur in an electrochemical transformation that was not only highly reversible, but also operated steadily at around 1.8 volts over 200 charge/discharge cycles.

The novel battery design could inspire improved performance in a range of metal–sulfur batteries beyond aluminium–sulfur, the researchers say.

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