This thesis was devised as a fundamental study of the Li-S system by the use of 7Li Magic Angle Spinning (MAS) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (XANES), and Non-Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering (NRIXS). The first part of this thesis is dedicated to the synthesis of solid state linear chain polysulfides in order to use them as reference compounds in the following experiments. 7Li NMR shows that Li2S and Li2S6 exhibit single but different Li environments, while the others stoichiometry targeted consist of a mixture of them. This is the first report of a stable solid-phase intermediate between elemental sulfur (α-S8) and Li2S. The second part of this thesis is based on operando XANES measurements made in the Argonne Photon Source (APS). Linear combination fit (LCF) analyses are performed to interpret the data; and, noticeably, the distinction between short-chain and long-chain polysulfides can be made due to the use of proper reference materials. The results reveal the first detailed observation of typical sulfur redox chemistry upon cycling, showing how sulfur fraction (under-utilization) and sulfide precipitation impact capacity. It also gives new insights into the differences between the charge and discharge mechanisms, resulting in the hysteresis of the cycling profile. Heat-treated PCNS/S exhibits a particular electrochemical signature, which has never explained. Operando XANES measurements at the sulfur K-edge are performed on heat-treated PCNS. Noticeably, the difference in the XANES signatures of the pristine and the recharged state shows the irreversible process that occurs during the first discharges. At last, electrolytes are investigated by the compilation of quantitative physico-chemical parameters on novel class of solvents that are glymes with non-polar groups and acetonitrile (ACN) complexed with LiTFSI. (ACN)2:LiTFSI attracts particular attention because of the particularly low Li2Sn solubility and. Its good electrochemical performance when mixed with 50 vol% HFE. Operando XANES proves the formation of polysulfides in this electrolyte, and the low energy feature evolution shows a more progressive mechanism involved in this electrolyte, which could be linked to the particularly low Li2Sn solubility.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:WATERLOO/oai:uwspace.uwaterloo.ca:10012/7941 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Cabelguen, Pierre-Etienne |
| Source Sets | University of Waterloo Electronic Theses Repository |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
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