Rational Design of Binders for Stable Li-S and Na-S Batteries

Binders play a critical role in stabilizing the sulfur cathode of Li-S and Na-S batteries. Over the past decade, the design of binder molecules has gone through tremendous evolution from primarily maintaining the structural integrity of the electrode against volume change to rationally immobilizing polysulfide intermediate and facilitating electron/ion transport in the charge and discharge process. This article reviews the development of binder for Li-S and Na-S batteries from the perspective of molecular design, and comprehensively discusses the correlation between the functions of the binder molecules and the cell performance. It also points out the future challenge and the potential solutions to address them.