Demonstrating large-scale and high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

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Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries represent one of the most promising technologies to advance battery performance beyond lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), to move away from the reliance of critical raw materials, and enable applications previously inaccessible due to poor energy to weight ratio such as powered flight. The current battery market is valued at $110 Bn ($424 Bn by 2027). It is estimated that a third of this market is for weight-critical applications which account for approximately 2 % of global carbon emissions. Li-S batteries are key to facilitating the net-zero transition and electrifying these weight-critical technologies.The commercialisation of Li-S batteries has been hindered by the lack of a viable cathode material with energy density to complement the Li-metal anode used in these cells. Furthermore, there are several factors which hinder the route to a viable Li-S battery including active material loss, high electrolyte use, and poor sulfur conversion. This all leads to low-capacity and short-lived Li- S batteries. Therefore, there is an urgent need to overcome these issued to enable Li-S batteries.Work supported by the PI's ERC Advanced Grant has shown a transformative breakthrough of a new cathode host; LixMoS2, for critical raw materials-free Li-S batteries. This remarkable cathode host has shown to solve key issues which have previously lingered during decades of research efforts, to enable high-energy and long-life Li-S batteries for the first time.This Proof of Concept aims to take essential commercial and technical steps to commercialise this innovation: demonstrate kilogram scale manufacturing of our cathode, demonstrate large-scale Li-S batteries with high-performance using our scaled-up cathode material, a critical market assessment for a business plan, and engagement with industry and end-user for a route-to-market.