A Stable High‐Capacity Lithium‐Ion Battery Using a Biomass‐Derived Sulfur‐Carbon Cathode and Lithiated Silicon Anode

A full lithium‐ion‐sulfur cell with a remarkable cycle life was achieved by combining an environmentally sustainable biomass‐derived sulfur‐carbon cathode and a pre‐lithiated silicon oxide anode. X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry of the cathode evidenced the disordered nature of the carbon matrix in which sulfur was uniformly distributed with a weight content as high as 75 %, while scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed the micrometric morphology of the composite. The sulfur‐carbon electrode in the lithium half‐cell exhibited a maximum capacity higher than 1200 mAh g(S) (−1), reversible electrochemical process, limited electrode/electrolyte interphase resistance, and a rate capability up to C/2. The material showed a capacity decay of about 40 % with respect to the steady‐state value over 100 cycles, likely due to the reaction with the lithium metal of dissolved polysulfides or impurities including P detected in the carbon precursor. Therefore, the replacement of the lithium metal with a less challenging anode was suggested, and the sulfur‐carbon composite was subsequently investigated in the full lithium‐ion‐sulfur battery employing a Li‐alloying silicon oxide anode. The full‐cell revealed an initial capacity as high as 1200 mAh g(S) (−1), a retention increased to more than 79 % for 100 galvanostatic cycles, and 56 % over 500 cycles. The data reported herein well indicated the reliability of energy storage devices with extended cycle life employing high‐energy, green, and safe electrode materials.