Sulfur-based batteries could offer electric vehicles a greener, longer-range option – The Invading Sea

Advancements in Battery Technology for Sustainable Electric Vehicles

Introduction

Electric vehicles (EVs) with extended driving ranges are critical to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), industry innovation (SDG 9), and climate action (SDG 13). Current lithium-ion batteries limit EV ranges, but emerging lithium-sulfur battery technology offers promising improvements in capacity, cost, and environmental sustainability.

Current Limitations of Lithium-Ion Batteries

• Lithium-ion batteries, used in EVs and grid storage, are approaching their physical energy density limits.
• They rely on metals such as nickel, manganese, and cobalt, which have supply chain and ethical sourcing challenges.
• Improving battery performance while reducing environmental impact aligns with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: A Promising Alternative

Battery Components and Chemistry

1. All batteries consist of three components: cathode (positive), anode (negative), and electrolyte.
2. Lithium-ion batteries use metal oxide cathodes and graphite anodes, with lithium ions moving between them.
3. Lithium-sulfur batteries replace the cathode with sulfur embedded in a conductive carbon matrix and use lithium metal as the anode.
4. The chemical conversion reactions in lithium-sulfur batteries allow for higher electron transfer, enabling greater theoretical energy storage.

Environmental and Economic Advantages

• Sulfur is abundant and inexpensive, reducing dependence on scarce and ethically problematic metals like cobalt and nickel.
• This supports SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by promoting fair labor practices and SDG 12 by encouraging sustainable material sourcing.
• Lithium-sulfur batteries have the potential to be cheaper and more sustainable to produce, advancing SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

Challenges to Widespread Adoption

Durability and Cycle Life

• Lithium-sulfur batteries currently suffer from rapid capacity loss, often under 100 charge-discharge cycles, compared to thousands for lithium-ion batteries.
• The “shuttling” effect, where lithium sulfide compounds dissolve in the electrolyte, reduces active materials and battery lifespan.

Recent Research and Improvements

• Innovations include special electrolytes that minimize dissolution and porous carbon electrodes that trap lithium sulfides.
• New prototypes retain over 80% capacity after thousands of cycles, marking significant progress toward practical applications.

Future Outlook and Sustainability Implications

Safety and Performance Trade-offs

• Lithium-sulfur batteries have less volatile cathodes, enhancing safety (SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being).
• Higher energy storage often reduces cycle life due to more intense chemical reactions, posing challenges for EV applications requiring both longevity and capacity.

Potential Applications and SDG Alignment

1. Grid-level energy storage and drones may benefit from lithium-sulfur batteries where ultrahigh cycle life is less critical.
2. Continued research is essential to balance energy density and durability for EVs, supporting SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
3. Advancing this technology contributes to sustainable industrial innovation (SDG 9) and responsible consumption (SDG 12).

Conclusion

Lithium-sulfur battery technology represents a significant step toward greener, longer-range electric vehicles and sustainable energy storage solutions. Overcoming current durability challenges will be crucial to fully realize their potential in supporting multiple Sustainable Development Goals, including clean energy access, climate mitigation, and sustainable industrial development.

Author Information

Golareh Jalilvand, Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The article discusses advancements in battery technology, specifically lithium-sulfur batteries, which can improve energy storage for electric vehicles and grid-level energy storage, contributing to clean energy solutions.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • The research and development of new battery chemistries and materials represent innovation in industrial processes and infrastructure for sustainable energy technologies.
3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • The article highlights the use of sulfur, an abundant and inexpensive material, as an alternative to scarce and problematic metals like cobalt and nickel, promoting more sustainable production practices.
4. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • By enabling longer-range electric vehicles and better energy storage, the technology supports reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and climate change mitigation.
5. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The article references ethical concerns regarding cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo, implying the importance of fair labor practices and safer working conditions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency through innovations such as advanced battery technologies.
   • Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix, supported by improved energy storage solutions.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research and upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors, including battery technology development.
3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • Target 12.2: Achieve sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources by utilizing abundant materials like sulfur instead of scarce metals.
   • Target 12.4: Achieve environmentally sound management of chemicals and wastes to minimize their adverse impacts.
4. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards by promoting clean energy technologies.
5. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • Target 8.7: Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labor, end modern slavery and human trafficking, and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor, as referenced in cobalt mining concerns.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Energy Storage Capacity and Efficiency
   • Indicator related to the energy density of batteries (e.g., miles per charge for electric vehicles) is implied by the discussion of lithium-sulfur batteries potentially enabling 600-1,000 miles per charge compared to current lithium-ion batteries.
2. Battery Cycle Life
   • Indicator measuring the number of charge-discharge cycles before capacity fades, with lithium-ion batteries lasting thousands of cycles versus lithium-sulfur batteries currently lasting fewer than 100 but improving to thousands in prototypes.
3. Material Sustainability and Supply Chain Ethics
   • Indicators related to the sourcing of raw materials, such as the proportion of battery materials sourced from ethically and sustainably managed mines, especially concerning cobalt and nickel.
4. Environmental Impact of Battery Production
   • Indicators on the environmental footprint of battery manufacturing processes, implied by the article’s emphasis on using abundant and less environmentally damaging materials like sulfur.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: theinvadingsea.com