Lithium—sulfur battery with a substantially non-porous lisicon membrane and porous lisicon layer

A lithium-sulfur battery comprising:

• an anode containing lithium;
• a cathode consisting of elemental sulfur, Li2Sx and at least one solvent selected to at least partially dissolve the elemental sulfur and Li2Sx;
• a substantially non-porous LISICON membrane separating the anode from the cathode, wherein the LISICON membrane is treated with a sealer to fill any pores thereof;
• and
• a porous structural layer attached to at least one side of the substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane to provide support thereto, wherein the porous structural layer is porous LISICON layer, wherein the porous structural layer directly contacts a portion of the anode.

A method comprising:

• generating lithium ions at a lithium-containing anode;
• transporting the lithium ions through a substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane to a cathode, wherein the substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane comprises a LISICON membrane;
• supporting the substantially non-porous lithium-ion-conductive membrane with a porous structural layer, wherein the porous structural layer is a porous LISICON layer, wherein the porous structural layer directly contacts a portion of the lithium-containing anode;
• and
• reacting the lithium ions with elemental sulfur at the cathode to generate Li2Sx, wherein the elemental sulfur and Li2Sx at least partially dissolve in at least one solvent in the cathode, wherein the cathode consists of the elemental sulfur, the Li2Sx and the at least one solvent selected to at least partially dissolve the elemental sulfur and Li2Sx.