The Relationship between the Relative Solvating Power of Electrolytes and Shuttling Effect of Lithium Polysulfides in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Relative solvating power, that is, the ratio of the coordination ratios between a solvent and the reference solvent, was used to probe the quantitative structure-activity relationship of electrolyte solvents and the lithium polysulfide (LiPS) dissolution in lithium-sulfur batteries. Internally referenced diffusion-ordered nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (IR-DOSY) was used to determine the diffusion coefficient and coordination ratio, from which the relative solvating power can be easily measured. The higher the relative solvating power of an ethereal solvent, the more severe will be the LiPS dissolution and the lower the coulombic efficiency of the lithium-sulfur battery. A linear relationship was established between the logarithm of relative solvating power of a solvent and the degree of LiPS dissolution, rendering relative solvating power an important parameter in choosing the electrolyte solvent for lithium-sulfur batteries.