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The sulfur cathode of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries suffers from inherent problems of insufficient mechanical strength and the dissolution of sulfur and polysulfides. Inspired by the extraordinarily resilient and strong binding force of the Great Wall binder, that is, the sticky rice mortar, we extracted highly branched amylopectin (HBA), the effective ingredient, as a low-cost, nontoxic and environmentally benign aqueous binder for the sulfur cathode. The HBA-based cells outperform the Li-S batteries based on the traditional polyvinyldene diflouride (PVDF) binder and a lowly branched polysaccharide binder. The improved electrochemical performance in the HBA-based cell could be attributed to two mechanisms. First, the branched structure of the HBA provides enhanced mechanical and adhesive properties, which allow for a robust electronic and ionic conductive framework to be maintained throughout the cathode after extended cycling. Second, the HBA shows enhanced polysulfide retention due to the polymer's abundant lone-pair rich hydroxyl groups and the formation of C─S bonds between the HBA and polysulfides prohibits the shuttle effect of polysulfides. The improved mechanical properties and polysulfide retention function of the HBA binder facilitate the HBA-based Li-S battery to deliver a long cycle life of 500 cycles at 2 C while only displaying a capacity fading of 0.104% per cycle., Competing Interests: Shanqing Zhang is a member of the Exploration editorial board. The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Exploration published by Henan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.)

Extensive efforts have been devoted to the design of micro-, nano-, and/or molecular structures of sulfur hosts to address the challenges of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, yet comparatively little research has been carried out on the binders in Li-S batteries. Herein, we systematically review the polymer composite frameworks that confine the sulfur within the sulfur electrode, taking the roles of sulfur hosts and functions of binders into consideration. In particular, we investigate the binding mechanism between the binder and sulfur host (such as mechanical interlocking and interfacial interactions), the chemical interactions between the polymer binder and sulfur (such as covalent bonding, electrostatic bonding, etc.), as well as the beneficial functions that polymer binders can impart on Li-S cathodes, such as conductive binders, electrolyte intake, adhesion strength etc. This work could provide a more comprehensive strategy in designing sulfur electrodes for long-life, large-capacity and high-rate Li-S battery.

Tremendous efforts have been devoted to the development of electrode materials, electrolytes, and separators of energy-storage devices to address the fundamental needs of emerging technologies such as electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality. However, binders, as an important component of energy-storage devices, are yet to receive similar attention. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has been the dominant binder in the battery industry for decades despite several well-recognized drawbacks, i.e., limited binding strength due to the lack of chemical bonds with electroactive materials, insufficient mechanical properties, and low electronic and lithium-ion conductivities. The limited binding function cannot meet inherent demands of emerging electrode materials with high capacities such as silicon anodes and sulfur cathodes. To address these concerns, in this review we divide the binding between active materials and binders into two major mechanisms: mechanical interlocking and interfacial binding forces. We review existing and emerging binders, binding technology used in energy-storage devices (including lithium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, sodium-ion batteries, and supercapacitors), and state-of-the-art mechanical characterization and computational methods for binder research. Finally, we propose prospective next-generation binders for energy-storage devices from the molecular level to the macro level. Functional binders will play crucial roles in future high-performance energy-storage devices.