Mimicking a cell plasma membrane to regulate dynamic polysulfide chemistry for a practical lithium-sulfur battery

Lithium-sulfur batteries are compelling candidates for overcoming the resource and sustainability limitations of current batteries. Regulating complex polysulfide chemistry is a critical challenge in achieving a practical lithium-sulfur battery with high cycle life and minimal electrolyte weight. Drawing inspiration from cell biology, here we propose the concept of bespoke membranes for making practical lithium-sulfur batteries. The membrane devised herein utilizes conductive reduced graphene oxide as a brick-like framework, with an elastic polymer liquid—rich in ion hopping and lithiophilic sites—as the mortar. The membrane mimics cell plasma membranes by integrating rapid and permselective Li+ channels alongside catalytic electrochemical reactions. Employing our reactive permselective membranes, we attain areal capacities of 4.8–8.1 mAh cm−2 with 450 stable cycles in coin cells and 202 Wh kg−1 with over 100 stable cycles in pouch cells. This behavior is achieved with efficient electrolyte/capacity ratios (4.9–5.3 μL mAh−1).