Boosting the “Solid–Liquid–Solid” Conversion Reaction via Bifunctional Carbonate‐Based Electrolyte for Ultra‐long‐life Potassium–Sulfur Batteries

Abstract

AbstractPotassium–sulfur (K−S) batteries have attracted wide attention owing to their high theoretical energy density and low cost. However, the intractable shuttle effect of K polysulfides results in poor cyclability of K−S batteries, which severely limits their practical application. Herein, a bifunctional concentrated electrolyte (3 mol L−1 potassium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide in ethylene carbonate (EC)) with high ionic conductivity and low viscosity is developed to regulate the dissolution behavior of polysulfides and induce uniform K deposition. The organic groups in the cathode electrolyte interphase layer derived from EC can effectively block the polysulfide shuttle and realize a “solid–liquid–solid” reaction mechanism. The KF‐riched solid‐electrolyte interphase inhibits K dendrite growth during cycling. As a result, the achieved K−S batteries display a high reversible capacity of 654 mAh g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 after 800 cycles and a long lifespan over 2000 cycles at 1 A g−1.