Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries stand out as one of the promising candidates for next-generation electrochemical energy storage technologies. A key requirement to realize high-specific-energy Li–S batteries is to implement low amount of electrolyte, often characterized by the electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratio. Low E/S ratio aggravates the known challenges for Li–S batteries and introduces new ones originated from the high concentration of polysulfides in limited electrolyte reservoir. In this review, the connections between the fundamental properties of electrolytes and the electrochemical/chemical reactions in Li–S batteries under lean electrolyte condition are elucidated. The emphasis is on how the solvating properties of the electrolyte affect the fate of polysulfides. Built upon the mechanistic analysis, different strategies to design lean electrolytes to improve the overall process of Li–S reactions and Li anode protection are discussed.

中文翻译：

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锂硫电池贫油条件下电解质的开发

锂硫（Li-S）电池脱颖而出，成为下一代电化学储能技术的有前途的候选者之一。实现高比能锂硫电池的一个关键要求是使用少量的电解质，通常以电解质/硫（E/S）比为特征。低E/S比加剧了锂硫电池的已知挑战，并引入了由于有限电解质储层中高浓度多硫化物而产生的新挑战。在这篇综述中，阐明了电解质的基本特性与稀电解质条件下锂硫电池电化学/化学反应之间的联系。重点是电解质的溶剂化特性如何影响多硫化物的命运。基于机理分析，讨论了设计贫电解质以改善 Li-S 反应和锂负极保护的整体过程的不同策略。