An organodiselenide containing electrolyte enables sulfurized polyacrylonitrile cathodes with fast redox kinetics in Li-S batteries.

An organoselenide compound, phenyl diselenide (PDSe), is employed as a soluble electrolyte additive to enhance the kinetics of a sulfurized polyacrylonitrile cathode, in which radical exchange in the solid-liquid interface forms dynamic S-Se bonds. Consequently, the PDSe assisted cathode exhibits enhanced battery performance in both ether and carbonate electrolytes.