Lithium Molybdate (Li₂MoO₃)−Sulfur Battery

Abstract

Here, we present a lithiated molybdate‐sulfur battery with practical energy density greater than 300 Wh kg−1. Electrochemically pre‐lithiated α‐MoO3 is prepared to form lithium molybdate anode which was tested against mesoporous titania coated sulfur cathode. A pouch cell with a capacity of 5 mAh made using pre‐lithiated lithium molybdate nanowires as anode and mesoporous TiO2 (titania) coated carbon‐sulfur cathode exhibited 1.4 V operating voltage and exhibited 620 Wh kg−1 capacity in the first cycle, dropped to ∼400 Wh kg−1 in 2nd cycle and 300 Wh kg−1 at 100th cycle. Various prelithiation studies indicate that electrochemical lithiation of MoO3 nanomaterials is crucial to make Li2MoO3 material suitable as anode. In situ electrochemical lithiation of MoO3 anode is introduced as a method to fabricate lithium molybdate (Li2MoO3)‐sulfur pouch cells in one step.