Lithium-sulfur Batteries: Technological Advancements, Emerging Applications, and Growth Opportunities

Higher Energy Density and Potential for Cost-Effectiveness Provide Lithium-sulfur Batteries with Market Disruption Potential

This study describes Li-S batteries' technology landscape, including their working mechanism and the typical materials used during fabrication. It also evaluates growth drivers and restraints and offers a comparative analysis with incumbent battery technologies, such as LIBs, sodium-ion batteries, and vanadium redox flow batteries (parameters compared include energy density, safety, cost, and round-trip efficiency). The study also discusses the patent analysis and the company innovation landscape and details growth opportunities that act as key enablers for Li-S adoption.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) lead the global energy storage and electrification revolution; however, commercial participants involved in these batteries' large-scale manufacturing face certain limitations and risks. LIBs' energy density has plateaued over the past few years, and, today, the world requires an energy storage solution that delivers higher energy density. In addition, it is important to eliminate woes pertaining to the range electric vehicles (EVs) offer from a single charge and ensure that LIBs can be used in novel consumer electronic applications. Furthermore, certain metals, such as cobalt and nickel, which are used in LIB fabrication, face mining issues as well as price fluctuations, hurting the economics of operations for battery manufacturers and end users. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries do not require these trace elements in their fabrication, thereby eliminating the associated risks.

Moreover, Li-S batteries offer an exceptional advantage by providing energy densities that exceed 500Wh/kg, a feat not achievable by today’s commercially available battery chemistries, including LIBs. These extraordinary energy storage capabilities also help these batteries to potentially revolutionize other industries, including electric mobility, consumer electronics, healthcare, and power equipment.