Metal-Sulphur batteries using metallic MoS2 cathodes

My PhD project deals with using phase engineered metallic MoS2 cathodes for metal-sulphur (M-S) batteries. I will build on our group's recent discovery that cathodes made from non-conducting sulphur dispersed on lithiated metallic 1T phase MoS2 nanosheet scaffolds provide excellent performance of Li-S batteries. While the lithiated MoS2 cathodes work exceptionally well, the challenges (safety, lifetime) of lithium metal anode remain. I will therefore seek to study alternatives to pure lithium metal anodes. I will start with replacing lithium metal with sodium to realise Na-S batteries. I will study how lithiated MoS2 cathodes perform in Na-S batteries. Then I will investigate presodiation of 1T phase MoS2 electrodes to compare performance of lithiated vs sodiated electrodes. I will carry detailed characterisation of as-synthesized lithiated and sodiate MoS2, perform detailed electrochemical measurements, analyse data, and make scientific conclusions. Na-S batteries have not been widely studied and therefore provide opportunities for new breakthroughs.