Advances and challenges of aluminum–sulfur batteries

Abstract The search for cost-effective stationary energy storage systems has led to a surge of reports on novel post-Li-ion batteries composed entirely of earth-abundant chemical elements. Among the plethora of contenders in the ‘beyond lithium’ domain, the aluminum–sulfur (Al–S) batteries have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their low cost and high theoretical volumetric and gravimetric energy densities (3177 Wh L −1 and 1392 Wh kg −1 ). In this work, we offer an overview of historical and present research pursuits in the development of Al–S batteries with particular emphasis on their fundamental problem—the dissolution of polysulfides. We examine both experimental and computational approaches to tailor the chemical interactions between the sulfur host materials and polysulfides, and conclude with our view on research directions that could be pursued further.