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1. Phosphine-Mediated Cleavage of Sulfur–Sulfur Bonds

   https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.organomet.2c00271  

   Tran, Phuong M. ; Wang, Yuzhong ; Xie, Yaoming ; Wei, Pingrong ; Lahm, Mitchell E. ; Schaefer, Henry F. ; Robinson, Gregory H. ( November 2022 , Organometallics)
2. Organic sulfur was integral to the Archean sulfur cycle

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12396-y  

   Fakhraee, Mojtaba ; Katsev, Sergei ( December 2019 , Nature Communications)
3. Sulfur isotopes reveal agricultural changes to the modern sulfur cycle

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac6683  

   Hermes, Anna L. ; Dawson, Todd E. ; Hinckley, Eve-Lyn S. ( April 2022 , Environmental Research Letters)

   The environmental fates and consequences of intensive sulfur (S) applications to croplands are largely unknown. In this study, we used S stable isotopes to identify and trace agricultural S from field-to-watershed scales, an initial and timely step toward constraining the modern S cycle. We conducted our research within the Napa River Watershed, California, US, where vineyards receive frequent fungicidal S sprays. We measured soil and surface water sulfate concentrations ([SO₄²⁻]) and stable isotopes (δ³⁴S–SO₄²⁻), which we refer to in combination as the ‘S fingerprint’. We compared samples collected from vineyards and surrounding forests/grasslands, which receive background atmospheric and geologic S sources. Vineyardδ³⁴S–SO₄²⁻values were 9.9 ± 5.9‰ (median ± interquartile range), enriched by ∼10‰ relative to forests/grasslands (−0.28 ± 5.7‰). Vineyards also had roughly three-fold higher [SO₄²⁻] than forests/grasslands (13.6 and 5.0 mg SO₄²⁻–S l⁻¹, respectively). Napa Riverδ³⁴S–SO₄²⁻values, reflecting the watershed scale, were similar to those from vineyards (10.5 ± 7.0‰), despite vineyard agriculture constituting only ∼11% of the watershed area. Combined, our results provide important evidence that agricultural S is traceable at field-to-watershed scales, a critical step toward determining the consequences of agricultural alterations to the modern S cycle.

    

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4. Encapsulation methods of sulfur particles for lithium-sulfur batteries: A review

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ensm.2020.09.005  

   Li, Shiqi ; Fan, Zhaoyang ( September 2020 , Energy storage materials)

   Core-shell structured sulfur composite nanoparticles (NPs) and their various derivatives have been widely inves- tigated as a promising cathode material for Li-S batteries (LSBs) thanks to their unique features in suppressing the lithium polysulfides shuttle effect, accommodating the sulfur electrode volume change, and providing abundant electrochemically active sites. The commonly used infiltration strategy falls short in producing a near ideal core- shell structure. Accordingly, the strategy of encapsulation, in which the prefabricated sulfur or sulfur precursor nanocore is encapsulated by a subsequently formed host shell has attracted broad interest, and this technique has significantly accelerated the LSB development. To advance the state of the art in producing encapsulated sulfur NPs, it becomes necessary to systematically survey the past relevant works and sum up research gaps. This review first takes an excursion to the infiltration strategy to highlight its limitations, followed by surveys on studies of synthesizing sulfur NPs, encapsulating sulfur NPs, and producing encapsulated sulfur NPs from metal sulfides. The strengths and weaknesses of each method, the resulted NPs, their electrochemical properties and the associated LSB performances are particularly emphasized. The rationales to design and the results of applying structural derivatives of the conventional core-shell configuration are then assessed. The encapsulated sulfur NPs applied in aqueous batteries are also discussed. This comprehensive review on sulfur encapsulation is concluded by a summary on further challenges and opportunities as well as our perspectives on possible future research directions, towards fundamental understanding and practical development of encapsulated sulfur NP-based LSB technology. 

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5. High Sulfur Content Material with Stable Cycling in Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries

   https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201708746  

   Preefer, Molleigh B. ; Oschmann, Bernd ; Hawker, Craig J. ; Seshadri, Ram ; Wudl, Fred ( October 2017 , Angewandte Chemie International Edition)

   We demonstrate a novel crosslinked disulfide system as a cathode material for Li‐S cells that is designed with the two criteria of having only a single point of S−S scission and maximizing the ratio of S−S to the electrochemically inactive framework. The material therefore maximizes theoretical capacity while inhibiting the formation of polysulfide intermediates that lead to parasitic shuttle. The material we report contains a 1:1 ratio of S:C with a theoretical capacity of 609 mAh g⁻¹. The cell gains capacity through 100 cycles and has 98 % capacity retention thereafter through 200 cycles, demonstrating stable, long‐term cycling. Raman spectroscopy confirms the proposed mechanism of disulfide bonds breaking to form a S−Li thiolate species upon discharge and reforming upon charge. Coulombic efficiencies near 100 % for every cycle, suggesting the suppression of polysulfide shuttle through the molecular design.

    

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