A contribution to the progress of high energy batteries: A metal-free, lithium-ion, silicon-sulfur battery

In this work we disclose a new, lithium metal-free, silicon-sulfur, lithium ion battery based on a high-rate sulfur-carbon composite cathode, formed by trapping sulfur in highly porous and hard carbon spherules, combined with a lithiated, silicon-carbon nanocomposite anode, separated by a glycol-based electrolyte. This 2V battery shows an average specific capacity of 300 mAh g((s))(-1), a long cycle life, an expected low cost and high safety. Due to these properties, this new battery is expected to be a very valid power source for efficient electric vehicles. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.This work was, in part, performed within the Project "REALIST" (Rechargeable, advanced, nano structured lithium batteries with high energy storage) sponsored by the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), the World Class University (WCU) program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (R31-2008-000-10092), and the Human Resources Development of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) grant funded by the Korea Government Ministry of Knowledge Economy (No. 20114010203150). The authors wish to thank Mr. Myong Joon Ahn of Kangwon National University, South Korea, for kindly supplying the silicon electrode