Immobilization of sulfur by constructing three-dimensional nitrogen rich carbons for long life lithium–sulfur batteries. Issue 18 (7th April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tan, Yingbin; Zheng, Zhihui; Huang, Shiting; Wang, Yongzhe; Cui, Zhonghui; Liu, Jianjun; Guo, Xiangxin
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 5:Issue 18(2017)
• Page Start: 8360
• Page End: 8366
• Publication Date: 2017-04-07
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c7ta01346a
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : A 3D nanostructured NCNTs–CS–ZIF-8(C) hybrid with high pyridinic-N content exhibits stable long-term cycling performance. Abstract : Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have been considered as next-generation rechargeable energy storage systems due to their high theoretical energy densities and low cost; however, the capacity decay resulting from the shuttle of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) hinders their practical application. Herein, we describe a strategy to synthesize highly pyridinic-N-doped three-dimensional (3D) carbons for the chemisorption of LiPSs, which consist of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8-derived carbon (ZIF-8(C)) coated on the surface of N-doped carbon nanotubes supported by carbon nanosheets (NCNTs–CS–ZIF-8(C)). Using the obtained carbons as sulfur hosts, the S/NCNTs–CS–ZIF-8(C) cathodes show a high sulfur utilization of 86% at 0.1 C, a low capacity decay rate of 0.052% per cycle over 700 cycles at 1 C and impressive cycling life that is 564 mA h g −1 after 700 cycles at 1 C. First principles calculations based on the Vienna Ab-Initio Simulation Package (VASP) reveal that increasing the amount of the pyridinic-N component can enhance the adsorption of LiPSs, which yields effective suppression of the LiPS shuttle.