The next generation of 'big batteries' could be here

A UNSW SMaRT Centre research study has found that lithium sulfur batteries (LSBs) could become the next generation of big batteries needed for the electricity energy transition.

Published in Elsevier ScienceDirect's Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews Journal, the study identified LSBs as one of the most promising candidates for a new generation of energy storage, especially for applications like electric vehicles (EVs), grid storage and for aviation.

As part of a broad review of energy technologies, the paper highlights that current lithium‑ion batteries are starting to hit their practical limits—especially in terms of how much energy they can store.

Li‑S batteries (LSBs) can theoretically store far more energy than current lithium‑ion batteries, potentially several times more, thus EVs driving much longer distances on a single charge.

This matters because LSBs use sulfur, which is light and abundant, and they are lighter batteries, which means more efficient vehicles and better performance.

Furthermore, sulfur is cheap and widely available, unlike cobalt and nickel used in today’s batteries, and they are more stable and affordable for battery production, as well as easier to integrate into more sustainable supply chains.

But they are not ready yet for widespread use, due to having a shorter lifespan (they degrade faster), and due to some chemical instability during charging cycle.

The paper looks at one of the biggest problems holding Li‑S batteries back, the instability, explores what the researchers call “artificial solid electrolyte interphase” (SEI), which is a protective layer inside the battery.

This study shows that designing a better internal “protective layer” inside LSBs could solve one of its biggest problems, thus helping turn them into a practical next‑generation battery for things like electric vehicles.

The research was done as part of SMaRT's ARC Microrecycling Hub, and builds on a large body of work to develop technologies to recover valuable materials from wastes, including Green Metals from e-waste, batteries, solar PV waste and other complex waste sources.