Journal of Materials Chemistry A
24 February 2026, Issue 13,
Page 7237 to 7828
Quasi-solid-state electrolytes (QSSEs) have attracted significant attention as a promising solution to safety and shuttle-effect issues in lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) owing to their high lithium-ion transference numbers (tLi+), which suppress lithium dendrite formation and enhance safety and electrochemical stability. In this study, a binder-free (BF) cathode with a QSSE is fabricated via in situ polymerization of 1,3-dioxolane into poly(1,3-dioxolane) (PDOL). The QSSE serves simultaneously as an electrolyte and a binder. Despite being BF, the electrode exhibits stable electrochemical performance and mechanical strength, even under deformation. The polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) cathode shows a lower initial capacity of 885.8 mAh gโ1 because the PVDF binder impedes capillary absorption, preventing deep electrolyte infiltration and generating voids that hinder charge transport and reduce coulombic efficiency. The BF cathode achieves 1059.3 mAh gโ1 at 0.2C owing to infiltration of polymerized PDOL into the porous structure, enhancing interfacial integration and wettability. This study is the first to employ PDOL as a bifunctional binderโsolid polymer electrolyte in LSBs, exploiting its strong adhesion and high lithium-ion conductivity. The BF@QSSE pouch cell is exceptionally flexible and safe under cycling and mechanical abuse, demonstrating the potential of combining BF cathodes with in situ-formed PDOL to fabricate flexible LSBs.
- Ingyun Shin
- Yeong-Seok Oh
- Seung-Woo Seo
- Junyoung Heo
- Jeong-Jin Yang
- Moongook Jeong
- Jun-Woo Park
- Seongki Ahn
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2026/ta/d5ta08211k
Image created by minjeong Kim / Nanosphere
Journal of Materials Chemistry A
24 February 2026, Issue 13,
Page 7237 to 7828
Quasi-solid-state electrolytes (QSSEs) have attracted significant attention as a promising solution to safety and shuttle-effect issues in lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) owing to their high lithium-ion transference numbers (tLi+), which suppress lithium dendrite formation and enhance safety and electrochemical stability. In this study, a binder-free (BF) cathode with a QSSE is fabricated via in situ polymerization of 1,3-dioxolane into poly(1,3-dioxolane) (PDOL). The QSSE serves simultaneously as an electrolyte and a binder. Despite being BF, the electrode exhibits stable electrochemical performance and mechanical strength, even under deformation. The polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) cathode shows a lower initial capacity of 885.8 mAh gโ1 because the PVDF binder impedes capillary absorption, preventing deep electrolyte infiltration and generating voids that hinder charge transport and reduce coulombic efficiency. The BF cathode achieves 1059.3 mAh gโ1 at 0.2C owing to infiltration of polymerized PDOL into the porous structure, enhancing interfacial integration and wettability. This study is the first to employ PDOL as a bifunctional binderโsolid polymer electrolyte in LSBs, exploiting its strong adhesion and high lithium-ion conductivity. The BF@QSSE pouch cell is exceptionally flexible and safe under cycling and mechanical abuse, demonstrating the potential of combining BF cathodes with in situ-formed PDOL to fabricate flexible LSBs.
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2026/ta/d5ta08211k
Image created by minjeong Kim / Nanosphere