Stabilizing Lithium–Sulfur Batteries through Control of Sulfur Aggregation and Polysulfide Dissolution. Issue 20 (17th April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Qian; Zhang, Jianhua; He, Shu‐Ang; Zou, Rujia; Xu, Chaoting; Cui, Zhe; Huang, Xiaojuan; Guan, Guoqiang; Zhang, Wenlong; Xu, Kaibing; Hu, Junqing
• Is Part Of: Small. Volume 14:Issue 20(2018)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2018-04-17
• Subjects: aggregation -- chemically adsorption -- lithium–sulfur battery -- p‐CNT@Void@MnO2/S composite -- porous‐carbon nanotube; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanoparticles -- Periodicals; Microtechnology -- Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1002/smll.201703816
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1613-6810

Abstract

Abstract: Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are investigated intensively as a promising large‐scale energy storage system owing to their high theoretical energy density. However, the application of Li–S batteries is prevented by a series of primary problems, including low electronic conductivity, volumetric fluctuation, poor loading of sulfur, and shuttle effect caused by soluble lithium polysulfides. Here, a novel composite structure of sulfur nanoparticles attached to porous‐carbon nanotube (p‐CNT) encapsulated by hollow MnO2 nanoflakes film to form p‐CNT@Void@MnO2 /S composite structures is reported. Benefiting from p‐CNTs and sponge‐like MnO2 nanoflake film, p‐CNT@Void@MnO2 /S provides highly efficient pathways for the fast electron/ion transfer, fixes sulfur and Li2 S aggregation efficiently, and prevents polysulfide dissolution during cycling. Besides, the additional void inside p‐CNT@Void@MnO2 /S composite structure provides sufficient free space for the expansion of encapsulated sulfur nanoparticles. The special material composition and structural design of p‐CNT@Void@MnO2 /S composite structure with a high sulfur content endow the composite high capacity, high Coulombic efficiency, and an excellent cycling stability. The capacity of p‐CNT@Void@MnO2 /S electrode is ≈599.1 mA h g −1 for the fourth cycle and ≈526.1 mA h g −1 after 100 cycles, corresponding to a capacity retention of ≈87.8% at a high current density of 1.0 C. Abstract : A rational design and composite structure fabrication comprising sulfur nanoparticles attached to porous‐carbon nanotube (p‐CNT) encapsulated by hollow MnO2 nanoflakes film to form p‐CNT@Void@MnO2 /S composite structures is reported. With this advanced design, p‐CNT@Void@MnO2 /S composite structures show high capacity, high coulombic efficiency, and excellent cycling stability.