State-of-the-art batteries most commonly used in everyday devices comprise lithium-ion batteries that afford a gravimetric energy density of up to 800 Wh kg-1, which in view of rising demands in electric vehicle applications may not be sufficient. Changing the positive active material to the more abundant and potentially environmentally friendly sulfur, the gravimetric energy density of the cells could be up to 2600 Wh kg-1, while the available theoretical capacity increases from 250 mAh g-1 in case of NMC to 1675 mAh g-1 for sulfur. Note also, that two electrons can be accepted per atom at a potential of 2.1 V vs. Li|Li+. [1]
Despite achievable benefits, the lithium-sulfur battery technology currently suffers from rather significant challenges, including inhomogeneous deposition at lithium metal electrodes and structural changes occurring at the positive electrode upon cycling. The latter may induce formation of soluble poly-sulfides and insoluble sulfides that contribute to the polysulfide shuttle effect and hence capacity fading of the cells. These circumstances to date prevent full utilization of the active material and high efficiency during galvanostatic cycling. [2]
These drawbacks can be mitigated with the help of electrospinning, which is a straightforward, scalable and cost-effective method to produce a network of nanofibers with high surface area and flexibility, e. g., from polymer solutions. Electrospun polymers, gellified with liquid electrolytes, may be adapted to physically and chemically impair the polysulfide shuttling. Electrospinning onto electrode sheets is also feasible, rendering the procedure readily incorporated into industrial production processes. [3]
In this work, we discuss the actual impact of electrospun membranes or polymers on the polysulfide shuttle effect and the resulting electrochemical cell performance, which is evaluated with respect to a reference system, in this way highlighting further opportunities for designing Lithium-sulfur cells.

[1] Manthiram et al. Adv. Mater. 2015, 27, 1980.
[2] Manthiram et al. Acc. Chem. Res. 2013, 46, 1125.
[3] Liu et al. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2019, 29, 1905467.