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Chemistry

The Chemistry of Lithium-Sulfur Battery Cathodes and Polysulfide Shuttling

Quick fact

In lithium-sulfur batteries, the 'shuttle effect' occurs when soluble polysulfide intermediates migrate to the lithium anode and react, wasting active material and causing rapid capacity loss. This is the main reason Li-S batteries haven't reached commercialization despite their high theoretical energy density.

Why this is interesting

Imagine a battery that could store five times more energy than today's lithium-ion cells, yet it fades away after just a few dozen charges. Why does such a promising technology fail so quickly?