The Faraday Battery Challenge, in partnership with KTN, bring you a series of seminars on defining subjects for the future electrification of transport and other sectors. Lithium-sulfur batteries have the potential be a cheaper, lighter weight, safer alternative to lithium-ion. But significant research challenges must be overcome before the technology could be deployed successfully at scale. If this is achieved the electrification of industries such as drones, satellites, defense, in which saving weight is a key factor, could be unlocked. Prof Paul Shearing of UCL, and Principal Investigator of the Faraday Institution’s LiSTAR project, outlines what is state-of-the-art Li-S technology now, shares his views on how commercialisation of this technology could be accelerated, enabling these emergent markets, and potentially impact the electrification of road transport in the longer term.

1. 2pm / 23 July 2020
Prof Paul Shearing
UCL and Principal Investigator,
Faraday Institution’s LiSTAR project
Lithium-sulfur batteries:
a game changer for aerospace,
defense and automotive?
Faraday Battery Challenge webinar series
#FaradayBattery#Challenge 1

2. FARADAY BATTERY CHALLENGE
2
£108m
UK Battery
Industrialisation Centre
Open access, scale up centre,
rapidly moving products
to market
To March 2021
£78m
The Faraday Institution
Harnessing the strengths of
the UK research base
£88m
Collaborative R&D
Creating new solutions
and demonstrations

3. OUR REMIT
3
Research began 2018
Scientific research
Application-inspired research to address known technical performance gaps
Research began Sept 2019
Extending battery life
Multi-scale modelling
Lithium cathode materials
Electrode manufacturing
Recycling and reuse
Physical infrastructure (computing)
Battery characterisation
Solid state batteries
Lithium sulfur batteries
Sodium ion batteries
Increased performance/impact and risk ‒ Lower maturity/technology readiness level
Industry Sprints

4. Professor Paul Shearing,
Department of Chemical Engineering,
UCL
Principal Investigator, Faraday
Institution’s LiSTAR project
4
SPEAKER

5. THE NEED FOR ENERGY STORAGE
Auto Grid Electronics Medical
Air and
Space
Significant)improvements)are)necessary)and)possible)in)20)year)horizon)
Cost%
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6. DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE OF LI ION
1979
1980
1991
1997
2016
LiCoO2 Discovered
(Oxford, UK)
LixCy Discovered Introduction of graphite
anode
(the last major innovation in anode
technology)
Sony commercialise
first Li-ion batteries
The Era of the
Gigafactory

7. FINANCIAL TIMES – JANUARY 2018
“At present there appear to be no battery technologies on the horizon
that have evolved sufficiently to be tested and factored into supply
chains that could displace lithium ion.”
Paul Lee, Deloitte
“Today’s lithium-ion batteries have barely changed since being
introduced by Sony more than a quarter of a century ago”
Henry Sanderson, FT.com

8. THE NEED FOR ENERGY STORAGE
Na-Ion
Li-S
Si electrode
Li –metal
Li-S
Li-air
Pseduo/Supe
r- Cap
Solid State
• Mass Manufacturable
• Recyclable
• Durable
• Sustainably and Ethically sourced
Significant)improvements)are)necessary)and)possible)in)20)year)horizon)
Cost%
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Now%$130/kWh%(cell)%
$280/kWh%(pack)%
2035%$50/kWh%(cell)%
$100/kWh%(pack)%
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Energy%Density%
%
%
%
%
Now%700Wh/l,%%
250Wh/kg%(cell)%
2035%1400Wh/l,%500Wh/kg%
(cell)%
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Power%Density%
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%
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%
Now%3%kW/kg%(pack)%
%2035%12%kW/kg%(pack)%
Safety%
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2035%eliminate%thermal%
runaway%at%pack%level%to%
reduce%pack%complexity%
1st%Life%
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Now%8%years%(pack)%
%2035%15%years%(pack)%
Temperature%
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Now%M20°%to%+60°C%(cell)%
2035%M40°%to%+80°C%(cell)%
Predictability%
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)
2035%full%predicRve%models%
for%performance%and%aging%
of%baSery%
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Now%10M50%%(pack)%
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9. INTRODUCTION TO LITHIUM SULFUR BATTERIES
10
• Li-ion cells have an inherent limit
which batteries must breach
• Range of possibilities
• Many solutions >10 years away
• Li-S comparably mature
• Benefits include
• High gravimetric energy density
• Low cost & material abundance
• Improved safety
• Benign environmental impact

10. • High gravimetric energy density
• Wide temperature window
• Shipping at zero SoC and improved safety
• Low cost materials
• UK critical mass in academia and industry
• Links to other Faraday Institution projects
• Early market opportunities
OPPORTUNITIES
• Insufficient volumetric energy density
• Low cycle life
• Poor C-rate capabilities
• Insulating nature of sulfur
• Inventory loss/ polysulfide crossover
• Volumetric changes during cycling
• Standardisation (material, components, cells)
CHALLENGES

11. LITHIUM SULFUR: WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES
12
Challenges:
• Extremely low electrical conductivity of sulfur (5 × 10-30 S cm-1 at 25
°C),
• Polysulfide shuttle effect decreases capacity and rechargeability,
• Large volume expansion from S to Li2S,
• Large amount of electrolyte needed,
• Not compatible with conventional organic carbonate electrolytes,
• Slow kinetics from Li2S2 to Li2S.
J. Power Sources, 2016, 328, 289-299.
S reduction takes place in multiple steps through several soluble intermediates to form Li2S:
S8 → Li2S8 → Li2S6 → Li2S4 → Li2S3 → Li2S2 → Li2S
up to 80% volume expansion
soluble
insoluble
insoluble
dissolutionprecipitation precipitation

12. LITHIUM SULFUR: DEVELOPMENTS AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE
13
Metrics for future:
S content (>70 %)
S loading (>5mg cm-2)
S utilization (>70 %)
E/S (< 3 μL mg-1)
N/P (< 2)
2020 Lithium Sulfur Roadmap, In Submission, J. Phys. Energy

13. HOW DOES THE COST COMPARE?
14
Adapted from Yang et al, Energy, 201, 2020
• Optimisation across the cell will result in
price reduction
• Focus on reducing the required excess in
anode, electrolyte
• Optimising the cathode to maximise
sulfur content
• Economies of scale have not been met at
present – huge scope for reduction in
costs

14. LI-S: TARGETING SPECIFIC SECTORS TO MAXIMISE PROSPECTS
15
Images taken from Oxis Energy’s website, 27 July 2020
• Adoption of Li-S aided by selection of applications
• Target those with complimentary requirements
• Lightweight
• High temperature tolerance
• Safety
• Naturally Buoyant
• Early market opportunities include:
• Heavy goods vehicles
• Large personal power packs
• Aerospace & satellites
• Marine/submarines
• Initial deployment of cells will improve economies
of scale

15. TARGETING A UK CENTRIC MARKET: ELECTRIC AVIATION
16
• Commercial electric aviation remains a
distant prospect
• Early steps being taken
• Potential £4 tn market by 2050
• Aviation is large contributor to UK PLC
• Established businesses of all scales
• Li-ion will not power propulsion
• Critical energy density >500 Wh kg-1
needed
• Potential for 1000 km range using
optimised Li-S packs
• Mitigate most polluting flights
• Provide solutions for emerging markets
• VTOL & personal aviation
Adapted from data obtained from Lin et al Nature Nanotechnology, 12, 2017;
Hardwick et al, Nature Materials, 11, 2012; Faradion website; Oxis Energy
Press Release, January 2020

16. DESIGNING A ROADMAP FOR SUCCESS
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Higher cycle
life
400 Wh kg-1
10 Cycles
10 → 30 °C
0.1C/0.1D
400 Wh kg-1
100 Cycles
10 → 30 °C
0.1C/0.1D
400 Wh kg-1
500 Cycles
10 → 30 °C
0.1C/0.1D
400 Wh kg-1
100 Cycles
-20 → 60 °C
0.1C/0.1D
400 Wh kg-1
500 Cycles
-20 → 60 °C
0.1C/0.1D
400 Wh kg-1
500 Cycles
-20 → 60 °C
1C/1D
400 Wh kg-1
100 Cycles
-20 → 60 °C
1C/1D
400 Wh kg-1
500 Cycles
-20 → 60 °C
5C/5D
Cells for extreme
environments
400 Wh kg-1
2000 Cycles
-20 → 60 °C
1C/1D
Higher power &
cycle life
Higher power
Phase1:Improving
TemperatureRange
Phase2:Accelerating
Development
Minimum Product for
Widespread Adoption
Initial Development
Optional Development
Cleaver et al. J Electrochem Soc., 2018
1. Cycle Life to 100 Cycles
2. Increase Temperature Range
3. Improve Charge/Discharge Rate
4. Target Specific Applications
Development Cycle

17. 18

18. 1. Cathode Design & Development
• Materials design and testing
• Mechanisms to prevent cell degradation
2. Electrolyte Development & Electrochemistry
• Investigate new pathways for reactions
3. Modelling of Li-S Cells
• Support WPs 1 & 2 through material selection
• Improving design from electrode to packs
4. Cell & Device Engineering
• Improve integration of Li-metal anode
• Develop advanced separators to prolong lifetime
LISTAR – THE LITHIUM SULFUR TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATOR
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Developments in Li-S are uniquely interconnected – need to evaluate
results in parallel

19. AN EXAMPLE: CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE CATHODE
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20. LISTAR: ACHIEVING RATIONAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES
21

21. LISTAR: DEFINING SUCCESS
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• By working across the cell LiSTAR aims to:
• Produce cathodes with 4–5 mg cm-2 of active
material
• Discharge at a rate of 1C
• Retains at least 60% capacity after 500 cycles
• Has no components which impede mass
manufacture
• Demonstration of developments in real cells is key to LiSTAR’s success
• Need to show translational prospects
• Opportunity to design systems from ground-up
• Bespoke control & monitoring tests
• Ensure the interactions are understood
• Developments in one area must benefit whole cell

22. LISTAR: STRATEGIC PARTNERS
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• Support committed from eight key industrial partners
• Industrial engagement in all WPs
• WP1 – JM, Oxis Energy, Talga Technologies
• WP2 – JM, Oxis Energy
• WP3 – Horiba Mira, NPL, Oxis Energy
• WP4 – ATI, Horiba-Mira, NPL, Oxis Energy, Qinetiq, WAE
• Breadth of specialisations and expertise
• Materials
• Manufacturing
• Applications

23. 24
THANKS AND AKNOWLEDGEMENTS

24. Thank You!
LiSTAR PI Paul Shearing: p.shearing@ucl.ac.uk
LiSTAR PL James Robinson: j.b.robinson@ucl.ac.uk
www.listar.ac.uk

25. Dr James Robinson
Department of Chemical Engineering,
UCL
Project Leader, Faraday Institution’s
LiSTAR project
26

26. • Information presented today is
available as part of a Faraday Insight
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NEXT STEPS - REGISTER FOR FARADAY INSIGHTS
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27. • Request a one-to-one call via Meeting
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5th August) or Ian Ellerington (today)
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NEXT STEPS - CONTINUE A DIALOGUE
• Participate in two public consultation BSI
fast track standards:
1. Battery Electric Vehicles – Safe and
environmentally-conscious design and
use of batteries – Guide
2. Electric vehicle battery cells – Health
and safety, environmental and quality
management considerations in cell
manufacturing and finished cell –
Code of Practice
• Join the Faraday Battery Challenge’s cross-
sector battery special interest group (SIG)
• Share the video of this event with
colleagues via the KTN YouTube channel

28. 2pm / 30 July 2020
Lithium-sulfur batteries: a game changer for
aerospace, defense and automotive?
Faraday Battery Challenge webinar series
2pm / 16 July 2020
Growing a UK battery business across sectors
11am / 21 July 2020
Update on the UK Battery Industrialisation
Centre
Prof Paul Shearing, UCL and Principal Investigator, Faraday Institution’s LiSTAR project
Jeff Pratt, MD, UK Battery Industrialisation Centre
Nick Russel, Chairman and MD, Denchi Group
29