Recent advances on flexible electrodes for Na-ion batteries and Li-S batteries

Flexible energy storage devices are essential for emerging flexible electronics. The existing state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries are slowly reaching their limitation in terms of cost and energy density. Hence, flexible Na-ion batteries (SIBs) with abundance Na resources and Li-S batteries with high energy density become the alternative for the Li-ion batteries in future. This review summarizes the recent advances in the development of flexible electrode materials for SIBs with metallic matrix and carbonaceous matrix such as carbon nano-tubes, carbon nano-fiber, graphene, carbon cloth, carbon fiber cloth, and cotton textiles. Then, the potential prototype flexible full SIBs are discussed. Further, the recent progress in the development of flexible electrode materials for Li-S batteries based on carbon nano-fiber, carbon nano-tubes, graphene, and cotton textiles is reviewed. Moreover, the design strategies of suitable interlayer, separator, electrolyte, and electrodes to prevent the dissolution and shuttle effect of polysulfides in flexible Li-S batteries are provided. Finally some prospective investigation trends towards future research of flexible SIBs and Li-S batteries are also proposed and discussed. The scientific and engineering knowledge gained on flexible SIBs and Li-S batteries provides conceivable development for practical application in near future. (c) 2018 Science Press and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science Press. All rights reserved.