Lithium sulfur battery pulse charging method and pulse waveform

An apparatus for charging a lithium-sulfur battery having at least one unit cell comprising a lithium-containing anode and a sulfur-containing cathode with an electrolyte layer there between, the apparatus comprising:

• a battery charge/discharge controller;
• a battery sensor for detecting a state of charge of the lithium-sulfur battery;
• a memory;
• and
• a processor in communication with the battery charge/discharge controller and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to instruct the battery charge/discharge controller to:
• while cycling the lithium-sulfur battery during normal use of the lithium-sulfur battery, apply voltage pulses during a voltage application period, initiated when the battery charge/discharge controller would normally initiate a battery charge cycle based on the state of charge of the lithium-sulfur battery as detected by the battery sensor, the application period delaying initiation of the battery charge cycle,
• wherein the voltage pulses are less than a constant current charging voltage and dissolve lithium sulfide formed on the sulfur-containing cathode of the lithium-sulfur battery;
• and
• initiate constant current charging after the application period has elapsed.