LiSTAR – The lithium-sulfur technology accelerator

Objectives

• Enhance the sulfur loading and substantially increase the thickness of electrodes, making battery subcomponents that are significantly more representative of real-world requirements in a number of sectors.
• Improve safety via implementation of non-flammable electrolytes.
• Demonstrate new electrode and electrolyte approaches in a technologically relevant cell.
• Demonstrate a battery management system to maximise performance.
• Develop bespoke advanced cell monitoring and diagnostic techniques from the outset of the chemistry’s commercialisation.

Metrics of success for the project include advancing all areas of Li-S technology to demonstrate cells which:

• Contain electrodes with more active material so they store enough energy to be commercially viable.
• Can be discharged fast enough to remove all energy in one hour, and therefore provide sufficient power for the intended aeronautic and heavy vehicle applications.
• Resist degradation when cycled.
• Have no other features that would plausibly prevent it being mass-manufactured at a cost competitive with that of existing Li-ion batteries.

The LiSTAR consortium will also seek to make substantial contributions to the scientific literature and act as a catalyst in developing a cross-UK Li-S manufacturing industry by bringing together the leading interested academic and industrial partners.