High-performance room-temperature sodium–sulfur battery enabled by electrocatalytic sodium polysulfides full conversion. Issue 2 (16th January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Nana; Wang, Yunxiao; Bai, Zhongchao; Fang, Zhiwei; Zhang, Xiao; Xu, Zhongfei; Ding, Yu; Xu, Xun; Du, Yi; Dou, Shixue; Yu, Guihua
• Is Part Of: Energy & environmental science. Volume 13:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 562
• Page End: 570
• Publication Date: 2020-01-16
• Subjects: Energy conversion -- Periodicals; Fuel switching -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Environmental chemistry -- Periodicals; 333.79
• DOI: 10.1039/c9ee03251g
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1754-5692

Abstract

Abstract : Developing novel gold nanoclusters as an electrocatalyst can facilitate a completely reversible reaction between S and Na, achieving advanced high-energy-density room-temperature sodium–sulfur batteries. Abstract : Room-temperature sodium–sulfur (RT-Na–S) batteries are highly desirable for grid-scale stationary energy storage due to their low cost; however, short cycling stability caused by the incomplete conversion of sodium polysulfides is a major issue for their application. Herein, we introduce an effective sulfiphilic host, gold nanodots decorated on hierarchical N-doped carbon microspheres (CN/Au/S), to achieve completely reversible conversion reactions in the S cathode by electrocatalyzing the low-kinetics conversion of Na2 S4 into NaS2 (discharge process) or S (charge process). Besides, gold nanodots and N-doped carbon can increase the conductivity of the S cathode and provide strong polar–polar adsorption of sodium polysulfides to alleviate the shuttling effects. When serving as the cathode, the CN/Au/S composite can realize enhanced sulfur utilization, excellent cycling stability, and outstanding rate capability. This work deepens our understanding of the catalytic effect of gold atoms on sulfur molecules, opening a new avenue for cathode design and development of advanced RT-Na–S batteries.