Saved on this device

Follow your curiosity

What discovery has been shared with you?

FACTREE gives you something interesting to discover every day — and something worth talking about together.

Start with one fact. Explore it, go deeper, then follow whichever branch catches your imagination.

Choose subjects for a surprise

Exploring any topic

Begin your discovery

Your next discovery is one click away.

Choose one or more subjects above, or leave Any Topic selected and let curiosity decide.

Chemistry

The Chemistry of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Challenges of Polysulfide Shuttling

Quick fact

During discharge, sulfur (S8) is reduced through a series of soluble intermediate species called lithium polysulfides (Li2S8, Li2S6, Li2S4) before forming the final solid products Li2S2 and Li2S. These intermediates can diffuse to the lithium anode and react chemically, short-circuiting the battery and reducing its lifetime.

Why this is interesting

You know how your phone battery dies faster over time? Lithium-sulfur batteries could hold many times more energy, but they lose capacity quickly. Why?