Inspired by Kitchen Foam, New Protein-Based Adhesive Enables Lighter, Thinner Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Inspired by the foaming of egg whites in kitchen cooking, researchers have developed a novel protein-based foam binder that could address the issue of excessive volume in lithium-sulfur batteries. Compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries offer higher energy density and lower cost. However, their cathode structures require abundant pores to facilitate lithium-ion transport, which increases electrode thickness and reduces volumetric energy density. The new binder enables high porosity while reducing electrode thickness, thereby enhancing volumetric performance. If successfully implemented, this technology could accelerate the practical adoption of lithium-sulfur batteries in space-constrained applications such as electric vehicles and portable electronics.