Lithium Molybdate (Li₂MoO₃)−Sulfur Battery

Abstract Here, we present a lithiated molybdate‐sulfur battery with practical energy density greater than 300 Wh kg⁻¹. Electrochemically pre‐lithiated α‐MoO₃ is prepared to form lithium molybdate anode which was tested against mesoporous titania coated sulfur cathode. A pouch cell with a capacity of 5 mAh made using pre‐lithiated lithium molybdate nanowires as anode and mesoporous TiO₂ (titania) coated carbon‐sulfur cathode exhibited 1.4 V operating voltage and exhibited 620 Wh kg⁻¹ capacity in the first cycle, dropped to ∼400 Wh kg⁻¹ in 2^nd cycle and 300 Wh kg⁻¹ at 100^th cycle. Various prelithiation studies indicate that electrochemical lithiation of MoO₃ nanomaterials is crucial to make Li₂MoO₃ material suitable as anode. In situ electrochemical lithiation of MoO₃ anode is introduced as a method to fabricate lithium molybdate (Li₂MoO₃)‐sulfur pouch cells in one step.