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Title: 3D dual-confined sulfur encapsulated in porous carbon nanosheets and wrapped with graphene aerogels as a cathode for advanced lithium sulfur batteries

Journal Article · · Nanoscale
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c5nr09037g · OSTI ID:1437631
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  1. Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Although lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have attracted much attention due to their high theoretical specific energy and low cost, their practical applications have been severely hindered by poor cycle life, inadequate sulfur utilization, and the insulating nature of sulfur. Here, we report a rationally designed Li–S cathode with a dual-confined configuration formed by confining sulfur in 2D carbon nanosheets with an abundant porous structure followed by 3D graphene aerogel wrapping. The porous carbon nanosheets act as the sulfur host and suppress the diffusion of polysulfide, while the graphene conductive networks anchor the sulfur-adsorbed carbon nanosheets, providing pathways for rapid electron/ion transport and preventing polysulfide dissolution. As a result, the hybrid electrode exhibits superior electrochemical performance, including a large reversible capacity of 1328 mA h g-1 in the first cycle, excellent cycling stability (maintaining a reversible capacity of 647 mA h g-1 at 0.2 C after 300 cycles) with nearly 100% Coulombic efficiency, and a high rate capability of 512 mA h g-1 at 8 C for 30 cycles, which is among the best reported rate capabilities.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
Grant/Contract Number:
EE0003208
OSTI ID:
1437631
Journal Information:
Nanoscale, Vol. 8, Issue 15; ISSN 2040-3364
Publisher:
Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 90 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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More Reliable Lithium-Sulfur Batteries: Status, Solutions and Prospects journal April 2017
Current Status and Future Prospects of Metal–Sulfur Batteries journal May 2019
Sulfur Immobilizer by Nanoscale TiO 2 Trapper Deposited on Hierarchical Porous Carbon and Graphene for Cathodes of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries journal February 2018
Nitrogen-Doped Graphene-Supported Mixed Transition-Metal Oxide Porous Particles to Confine Polysulfides for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries journal May 2018
Facile Assembly of 3D Porous Reduced Graphene Oxide/Ultrathin MnO 2 Nanosheets-S Aerogels as Efficient Polysulfide Adsorption Sites for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries journal May 2017
Fabrication of ultrafine Gd 2 O 3 nanoparticles/carbon aerogel composite as immobilization host for cathode for lithium‐sulfur batteries journal July 2019
One‐Step Transformation from Cu 2 S Nanocrystal to CuS Nanocrystal with Photocatalytic Properties journal July 2019
Layered Electrodes Based on 3D Hierarchical Porous Carbon and Conducting Polymers for High‐Performance Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries journal January 2019
Nitrogen-doped tubular/porous carbon channels implanted on graphene frameworks for multiple confinement of sulfur and polysulfides journal January 2017
Sodium polyacrylate-derived porous carbon nanosheets for high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries journal January 2019
Pathways towards high performance Na–O 2 batteries: tailoring graphene aerogel cathode porosity & nanostructure journal January 2018
Aerosol Synthesis of N and N-S Doped and Crumpled Graphene Nanostructures journal June 2018
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