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

Luo, Liu; Chung, Sheng-Heng; Chang, Chi-Hao; Manthiram, Arumugam

doi:10.1039/c7ta05277d

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

Journal Article · 06 July 2017 · Journal of Materials Chemistry. A

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c7ta05277d · OSTI ID:1430178

Luo, Liu ^[1]; Chung, Sheng-Heng ^[1]; Chang, Chi-Hao ^[1];

^[1]

Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). McKetta Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Texas Materials Inst.

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.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Cite

Export

Save

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:: 1430178

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1429331; OSTI ID: 1487261

Journal Information:: Journal of Materials Chemistry. A, Vol. 5, Issue 29; ISSN 2050-7488

Publisher:: Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (35)

Electrocatalytic Polysulfide Traps for Controlling Redox Shuttle Process of Li–S Batteries Al Salem, Hesham; Babu, Ganguli; V. Rao, Chitturi Journal of the American Chemical Society, Vol. 137, Issue 36 https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5b04472	journal	September 2015
Hierarchical Free-Standing Carbon-Nanotube Paper Electrodes with Ultrahigh Sulfur-Loading for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Yuan, Zhe; Peng, Hong-Jie; Huang, Jia-Qi Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 24, Issue 39 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201401501	journal	July 2014
Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Electrochemistry, Materials, and Prospects Yin, Ya-Xia; Xin, Sen; Guo, Yu-Guo Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Vol. 52, Issue 50 https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201304762	journal	November 2013
Rational designs and engineering of hollow micro-/nanostructures as sulfur hosts for advanced lithium–sulfur batteries Li, Zhen; Wu, Hao Bin; (David) Lou, Xiong Wen Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 9, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1039/C6EE02364A	journal	January 2016
A Lightweight TiO ₂ /Graphene Interlayer, Applied as a Highly Effective Polysulfide Absorbent for Fast, Long-Life Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Xiao, Zhubing; Yang, Zhi; Wang, Lu Advanced Materials, Vol. 27, Issue 18 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201405637	journal	March 2015
Toward More Reliable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: An All-Graphene Cathode Structure Fang, Ruopian; Zhao, Shiyong; Pei, Songfeng ACS Nano, Vol. 10, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.6b04019	journal	August 2016
Liquid-Type Cathode Enabled by 3D Sponge-Like Carbon Nanotubes for High Energy Density and Long Cycling Life of Li-S Batteries Pu, Xiong; Yang, Gang; Yu, Choongho Advanced Materials, Vol. 26, Issue 44 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201403337	journal	October 2014
A trifunctional multi-walled carbon nanotubes/polyethylene glycol (MWCNT/PEG)-coated separator through a layer-by-layer coating strategy for high-energy Li–S batteries Luo, Liu; Chung, Sheng-Heng; Manthiram, Arumugam Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Vol. 4, Issue 43 https://doi.org/10.1039/C6TA07709A	journal	January 2016
Interwoven MXene Nanosheet/Carbon-Nanotube Composites as Li-S Cathode Hosts Liang, Xiao; Rangom, Yverick; Kwok, Chun Yuen Advanced Materials, Vol. 29, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201603040	journal	November 2016
Status and prospects in sulfur–carbon composites as cathode materials for rechargeable lithium–sulfur batteries Li, Zhen; Huang, Yimeng; Yuan, Lixia Carbon, Vol. 92 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2015.03.008	journal	October 2015
Surface-enhanced redox chemistry of polysulphides on a metallic and polar host for lithium-sulphur batteries Pang, Quan; Kundu, Dipan; Cuisinier, Marine Nature Communications, Vol. 5, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms5759	journal	August 2014
Sulfur-Nickel Foam as Cathode Materials for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Cheng, J. J.; Zhu, J. T.; Pan, Y. ECS Electrochemistry Letters, Vol. 4, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1149/2.0011502eel	journal	December 2014
Electrochemical reaction of sulfur cathodes with Ni foam current collector in Li-S batteries Liu, Li-Jun; Chen, Yang; Zhang, Zhi-Feng Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 325 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.06.002	journal	September 2016
Understanding the Lithium Sulfur Battery System at Relevant Scales Xiao, Jie Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 5, Issue 16 https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201501102	journal	August 2015
Electrocatalysis of Lithium Polysulfides: Current Collectors as Electrodes in Li/S Battery Configuration Babu, Ganguli; Ababtain, Khalid; Ng, K. Y. Simon Scientific Reports, Vol. 5, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/srep08763	journal	March 2015
Improving the electrochemical behavior of lithium-sulfur batteries through silica-coated nickel-foam cathode collector Cho, Sung Ho; Cho, Sung Man; Bae, Ki Yoon Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 341 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.12.021	journal	February 2017
Correlating Microstructure and Activity for Polysulfide Reduction and Oxidation at WS ₂ Electrocatalysts Stephens, Ifan E. L.; Ducati, Caterina; Fray, Derek J. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 160, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1149/2.027306jes	journal	January 2013
A High Energy Lithium-Sulfur Battery with Ultrahigh-Loading Lithium Polysulfide Cathode and its Failure Mechanism Qie, Long; Zu, Chenxi; Manthiram, Arumugam Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 6, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201502459	journal	February 2016
Challenges and Prospects of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Manthiram, Arumugam; Fu, Yongzhu; Su, Yu-Sheng Accounts of Chemical Research, Vol. 46, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1021/ar300179v	journal	June 2012
Pie-like electrode design for high-energy density lithium–sulfur batteries Li, Zhen; Zhang, Jin Tao; Chen, Yu Ming Nature Communications, Vol. 6, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9850	journal	November 2015
Robust, Ultra-Tough Flexible Cathodes for High-Energy Li-S Batteries Chung, Sheng-Heng; Chang, Chi-Hao; Manthiram, Arumugam Small, Vol. 12, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201503167	journal	December 2015
High Electrocatalytic Activity of Vertically Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes towards Sulfide Redox Shuttles Hao, Feng; Dong, Pei; Zhang, Jing Scientific Reports, Vol. 2, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/srep00368	journal	April 2012
A Facile Layer-by-Layer Approach for High-Areal-Capacity Sulfur Cathodes Qie, Long; Manthiram, Arumugam Advanced Materials, Vol. 27, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201405689	journal	January 2015
Liquid electrolyte lithium/sulfur battery: Fundamental chemistry, problems, and solutions Zhang, Sheng S. Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 231, p. 153-162 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.12.102	journal	June 2013
Ionic shield for polysulfides towards highly-stable lithium–sulfur batteries Huang, Jia-Qi; Zhang, Qiang; Peng, Hong-Jie Energy Environ. Sci., Vol. 7, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1039/C3EE42223B	journal	January 2014
Functional Mesoporous Carbon-Coated Separator for Long-Life, High-Energy Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Balach, Juan; Jaumann, Tony; Klose, Markus Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 25, Issue 33 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201502251	journal	July 2015
A new class of Solvent-in-Salt electrolyte for high-energy rechargeable metallic lithium batteries Suo, Liumin; Hu, Yong-Sheng; Li, Hong Nature Communications, Vol. 4, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2513	journal	February 2013
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study of a pristine millerite (NiS) surface and the effect of air and water oxidation Legrand, Daniel L.; Nesbitt, H. Wayne; Bancroft, G. Michael American Mineralogist, Vol. 83, Issue 11-12 Part 1 https://doi.org/10.2138/am-1998-11-1214	journal	December 1998
A core–shell electrode for dynamically and statically stable Li–S battery chemistry Chung, Sheng-Heng; Chang, Chi-Hao; Manthiram, Arumugam Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 9, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1039/C6EE01280A	journal	January 2016
A Carbon-Cotton Cathode with Ultrahigh-Loading Capability for Statically and Dynamically Stable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries Chung, Sheng-Heng; Chang, Chi-Hao; Manthiram, Arumugam ACS Nano, Vol. 10, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.6b06369	journal	October 2016
Free-standing TiO2 nanowire-embedded graphene hybrid membrane for advanced Li/dissolved polysulfide batteries Zhou, Guangmin; Zhao, Yubao; Zu, Chenxi Nano Energy, Vol. 12 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nanoen.2014.12.029	journal	March 2015
A highly ordered nanostructured carbon–sulphur cathode for lithium–sulphur batteries Ji, Xiulei; Lee, Kyu Tae; Nazar, Linda F. Nature Materials, Vol. 8, Issue 6, p. 500-506 https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat2460	journal	May 2009
Carbonized Eggshell Membrane as a Natural Polysulfide Reservoir for Highly Reversible Li-S Batteries Chung, Sheng-Heng; Manthiram, Arumugam Advanced Materials, Vol. 26, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201304365	journal	November 2013
3D Interconnected Electrode Materials with Ultrahigh Areal Sulfur Loading for Li-S Batteries Fang, Ruopian; Zhao, Shiyong; Hou, Pengxiang Advanced Materials, Vol. 28, Issue 17 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201506014	journal	March 2016
Lithium–sulfur batteries with superior cycle stability by employing porous current collectors Chung, Sheng-Heng; Manthiram, Arumugam Electrochimica Acta, Vol. 107 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2013.06.034	journal	September 2013

Cited By (11)

Progress on the Critical Parameters for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries to be Practically Viable Chung, Sheng-Heng; Chang, Chi-Hao; Manthiram, Arumugam Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 28, Issue 28 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201801188	journal	May 2018
A Review: Electrospun Nanofiber Materials for Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries Liu, Min; Deng, Nanping; Ju, Jingge Advanced Functional Materials, Vol. 29, Issue 49 https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201905467	journal	August 2019
Long-Life Lithium-Sulfur Batteries with a Bifunctional Cathode Substrate Configured with Boron Carbide Nanowires Luo, Liu; Chung, Sheng-Heng; Yaghoobnejad Asl, Hooman Advanced Materials, Vol. 30, Issue 39 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201804149	journal	August 2018
Strategies for Building Robust Traffic Networks in Advanced Energy Storage Devices: A Focus on Composite Electrodes Wang, Yu; Fu, Xuewei; Zheng, Min Advanced Materials https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201804204	journal	December 2018
Current Status and Future Prospects of Metal–Sulfur Batteries Chung, Sheng‐Heng; Manthiram, Arumugam Advanced Materials, Vol. 31, Issue 27 https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201901125	journal	May 2019
Sulfur Immobilization by “Chemical Anchor” to Suppress the Diffusion of Polysulfides in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Zeng, Zhipeng; Liu, Xingbo Advanced Materials Interfaces, Vol. 5, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.201701274	journal	December 2017
Rational Design of a Dual-Function Hybrid Cathode Substrate for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Luo, Liu; Chung, Sheng-Heng; Manthiram, Arumugam Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 8, Issue 24 https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201801014	journal	June 2018
Surface Functionalization of Carbon Architecture with Nano-MnO ₂ for Effective Polysulfide Confinement in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Kim, Kyungho; Kim, Patrick J.; Youngblood, Jeffrey P. ChemSusChem, Vol. 11, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.1002/cssc.201800894	journal	June 2018
Constructing Patch‐Ni‐Shelled Pt@Ni Nanoparticles within Confined Nanoreactors for Catalytic Oxidation of Insoluble Polysulfides in Li‐S Batteries Liu, Yang; Kou, Wei; Li, Xiangcun Small, Vol. 15, Issue 34 https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.201902431	journal	June 2019
Structural Design of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: From Fundamental Research to Practical Application Yang, Xiaofei; Li, Xia; Adair, Keegan Electrochemical Energy Reviews, Vol. 1, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1007/s41918-018-0010-3	journal	June 2018
A general dissolution–recrystallization strategy to achieve sulfur-encapsulated carbon for an advanced lithium–sulfur battery Fan, Xuliang; Zhang, Yangfan; Li, Jing Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Vol. 6, Issue 25 https://doi.org/10.1039/c8ta02180e	journal	January 2018