Systematic insight of the behavior of LiNO3 additive in LiS batteries with gradient S loading

Previous studies revealed that LiNO 3 can enhance the cyclic stability of lithium‑sulfur (Li S) batteries by creating a solid electrolyte interface protecting the lithium electrode. However, this study investigated the effect of LiNO 3 and concentration in the electrolyte, first studied under low and high sulfur loading. It is confirmed that adding a small amount of LiNO 3 inhibits the shuttle effect phenomenon in Li S batteries, and the Coulombic efficiency was significantly improved. Appropriately increasing the concentration of LiNO 3 to 2 % could prolong the cycle life. However, when LiNO 3 is excessive, the rate and cycling performance decrease. The design of practical Li S batteries requires more research on the parameters of electrolyte additives under high‑sulfur-loading conditions. After gradient increasing the sulfur loading, the low concentration of LiNO 3 cannot play the best performance of the battery , so it is necessary to improve the concentration of LiNO 3 further. It is evident that adding LiNO 3 in Li S batteries has certain benefits, and the optimal amount of additive is related to the value of sulfur loading.