The lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with rated capacity of 15 Ah have been developed and produced in small quantities, which exhibit the highest capacity value reported worldwide. Recently Prof. CHEN Jian and her coworkers of Lab of Advanced Secondary Batteries (DNL 306) at Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) have made important progress on high-energy density lithium secondary batteries. Test results from Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), show that the energy density of this new battery, above 430 Wh/kg, represents the best level of CAS in Li-S battery research, which is also superior to the battery property (2.5Ah@350Wh/kg) of Sion Power. This work is supported by the National High-tech R&D Program (863 Program) and the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Lab of Advanced Secondary Batteries at DICP, founded in 2009, is aiming at R&D of the new materials and technologies for Li-S batteries. Li-S batteries have the advantages of high energy density, elements abundance and low cost, thus become the research focus for the electric vehicle batteries. The major Li-S battery companies include Sion Power (acquired by BASF in 2012), Polyplus, and Oxis. The energy density of Li-S battery is around 350 Wh/kg now, and aims to reach 400-600 Wh/kg in 2016. Then, an electric vehicle powered by such a 200 kg Li-S battery is expected to drive over 500 km. (Text & Photo by WANG Chong)