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A nickel-foam@carbon-shell with a pie-like architecture as an efficient polysulfide trap for high-energy Li–S batteries

Journal Article · · Journal of Materials Chemistry. A
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/c7ta05277d· OSTI ID:1429331
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). McKetta Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Texas Materials Inst.; University of Texas at Austin
  2. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). McKetta Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Texas Materials Inst.
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A high-loading sulfur cathode is critical for establishing rechargeable lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries with the anticipated high energy density. However, its fabrication as well as realizing high electrochemical utilization and stability with high-loading sulfur cathodes is a daunting challenge. Here, we present a new pie-like electrode that consists of an electrocatalytic nickel-foam as a “filling” to adsorb and store polysulfide catholytes and an outer carbon shell as a “crust” for facilitating high-loading sulfur cathodes with superior electrochemical and structural stabilities. The inner electrocatalytic nickel-foam is configured to adsorb polysulfides and facilitate their redox reactions. The intertwined carbon shell assists to shield the polysulfides within the cathode region of the cell. Both the nickel-foam and the carbon shell have high conductivity and porous space, which serve simultaneously as interconnected current collectors to enhance the redox kinetics and as polysulfide reservoirs to confine the active material. The effectiveness of such a pie-like structure in improving the electrochemical efficiency enables the cathode to host an ultrahigh sulfur loading of 40 mg cm-2 and attain a high areal capacity of over 40 mA h cm-2 at a low electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratio of 7. The enhanced cyclability is reflected in a high reversible areal capacity approaching 30 mA h cm-2 at C/5 rate after 100 cycles and excellent rate capability up to 2C rate.
Research Organization:
Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); Welch Foundation
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0007218
OSTI ID:
1429331
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1430178
OSTI ID: 1487261
Journal Information:
Journal of Materials Chemistry. A, Journal Name: Journal of Materials Chemistry. A Journal Issue: 29 Vol. 5; ISSN JMCAET; ISSN 2050-7488
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (13)

Progress on the Critical Parameters for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries to be Practically Viable journal May 2018
A Review: Electrospun Nanofiber Materials for Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries journal August 2019
Long-Life Lithium-Sulfur Batteries with a Bifunctional Cathode Substrate Configured with Boron Carbide Nanowires journal August 2018
Strategies for Building Robust Traffic Networks in Advanced Energy Storage Devices: A Focus on Composite Electrodes journal December 2018
Current Status and Future Prospects of Metal–Sulfur Batteries journal May 2019
Sulfur Immobilization by “Chemical Anchor” to Suppress the Diffusion of Polysulfides in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries journal December 2017
Rational Design of a Dual-Function Hybrid Cathode Substrate for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries journal June 2018
Surface Functionalization of Carbon Architecture with Nano-MnO 2 for Effective Polysulfide Confinement in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries journal June 2018
Constructing Patch‐Ni‐Shelled Pt@Ni Nanoparticles within Confined Nanoreactors for Catalytic Oxidation of Insoluble Polysulfides in Li‐S Batteries journal June 2019
Structural Design of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: From Fundamental Research to Practical Application journal June 2018
A three-dimensional self-assembled SnS 2 -nano-dots@graphene hybrid aerogel as an efficient polysulfide reservoir for high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries journal January 2018
A general dissolution–recrystallization strategy to achieve sulfur-encapsulated carbon for an advanced lithium–sulfur battery journal January 2018
Metal-based nanostructured materials for advanced lithium–sulfur batteries journal January 2018

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