Progress in Carbon Cathodic Host Matrices for Lithium–Sulfur\nCells: A Meta Analysis

The development of cathodes for lithium–sulfur\n(Li–S)\nbatteries requires optimizing a variety of interacting and competing\nvariables, with the early technology readiness level (TRL) of Li–S\nrelative to Li-ion batteries presenting researchers with a wide parameter\nspace. Given the interactions between the positive electrode design\nand the electrolyte, the development of Li–S electrodes requires\ncomprehensive reporting of parameters to enable a comparison of developments.\nBy developing a tool to aggregate synthesis parameters with cell performance,\nwe summarize the frequency with which different components and electrochemical\ntesting conditions are used, including data from 100 articles. Grouping\nreported capacity data by composite carbon type, C rate, and sulfur\ncontent revealed widespread variation in the maximum capacity and\nrate of degradation. We hope that the tool developed here will provide\na facile workflow and promote consistent reporting across the literature,\nwhile also pointing toward routes to improve the design of Li–S\npositive electrodes.