Dear Colleagues,

In the battery world, the quest for the next generation of high-power and high-performance battery systems has opened up, as the demand for renewable energy is continuously increasing. Advanced energy storage with long cycle life and low cost would ensure an economical and efficient use of the so-produced power. In particular, automotive manufacturers are actively focusing on innovation with regard to electric vehicles, thereby promoting the rapid development of battery systems with large power, high energy density and safety.

Sulfur battery systems have garnered increasing attention of the scientific community during the last 10–15 years. There has been significant progress in their development and the first commercial breakthroughs are foreseen within the next five years. Many novel concepts and strategies concerning electrodes, separators and electrolytes have paved the way to overcome a whole bunch of challenges in sulfur battery systems. However, we are still confronted with unknown and unexpected issues at this point, especially in comparison with the classical lithium ion system.

While lithium-sulfur battery presents itself as an almost established, but still to be further developed system, other alternatives, such as sodium- or magnesium-sulfur batteries need much more efforts to reach the realm of commercial possibility. Although deep insights have been obtained into the overall system chemistry, the electrode/separator/electrolyte design still have lots of issues which need sustained research. Moreover, the effects of the nanoscale in these systems is rather unclear. A more detailed insight in this regards will directly lead to an extraordinary tuning ability, which shall provide significant support for the high-power and high-performance tasks typically expected from all sulfur systems.

The scope of our Special Issue focuses on all areas where material engineering on the nanoscale can contribute to an advanced sulfur battery system. Examples include, doping or co-doping of sulfur-hosting carbons and their effects on electronic properties for higher electronic conductivity or even ionic conductivity, sulfur retention solutions by tuning the carbon host or adding another electrolyte component to create a polymer-like layer around the active material particles in order to stop/minimize sulfur shuttling, or establishing a metal anode-sulfur battery. Furthermore, structure-performance correlation analyses, as well as operando studies can valuably complete the focus. In addition to the themes addressed here, this Special Issue also wishes to include all other related contributions allowing an optimistic step forward for sulfur battery systems and finding innovative solutions in nanoscale material chemistry and engineering.

We look forward to your valuable and high quality contributions to this Special Issue, with the opportunity to open up another great chapter of sulfur battery chemistry and materials engineering surging toward the breakthrough of sulfur batteries for our clean and sustainable tomorrow.

Dr. Lars Giebeler
Guest Editor

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• Sulfur-based battery systems
• Lithium-sulfur
• Sodium-sulfur (room temperature)
• Magnesium-sulfur
• Full-cell concepts with suitable negative electrodes, including metal electrodes.
• Effects originating on nanoscale materials chemistry or design
• Positive electrode, negative electrode, separator, electrolyte, current collectors
• Active materials allowing self-assembly of protective layers
• New concepts of synthesis of nanoengineered battery components to enhance performance and lifetime
• Integrating nanoparticles and nanostructured materials to enhance performance and lifetime
• Improved conductivities
• Operando studies for highly detailed insights
• Mechanism control by nanoengineered materials
• Alternative concepts for acting on the nanoscale to overcome drawbacks of sulfur battery systems
• Integrating nanoparticles and nanostructured materials to enhance performance and lifetime
• Improved conductivities
• Operando studies for highly detailed insights
• Mechanism control by nanoengineered materials
• Alternative concepts for acting on the nanoscale to overcome drawbacks of sulfur battery systems