CATHODE COATED WITH CATALYSTS AND HYBRID ELECTROLYTES FOR HIGH-ENERGY DENSITY LITHIUM-SULFUR (Li-S) BATTERIES

Hybrid electrolyte-catalyst structures including a catalyst material, a solid state electrolyte (SSE) material, and a liquid electrolyte material deposited to form coating layer(s) on carbon materials (e.g., carbon nanotubes) prevent polysulfide shuttling, improve ion flow, and enhance utilization of active materials in lithium-sulfur batteries. For example, a solution including the catalyst material and the solid state electrolyte material may be drop casted on a carbon material or the catalyst material and the solid state electrolyte material may be deposited on the carbon material using a co-sputtering process. The liquid electrolyte material may be deposited on the solid state electrolyte-catalyst coated carbon material to form the hybrid electrolyte-catalyst coating layer(s). Coating a carbon substrate with the hybrid electrolyte-catalysts coating layer(s) can suppress polysulfide shuttling by catalyzing polysulfide reactions. Additionally, the coating layer(s) exhibit synergistic effects of accelerated and uniformly distributed ion flow for use as a carbon nanotube (CNT)-S cathode.