(336g) Sulfurized Carbon Nanosphere for Superformance Lithium-Sulfur Battery Cathode

Sulfurized carbon nanosphere
for super performance lithium-sulfur battery cathode

Abstract

Sulfurized carbon nanospheres
derived from polyacrylonitrile provide a promising route towards
cathode materials that overcome technical barriers to high-energy, rechargeable
lithium-sulfur batteries. By entrapping smaller molecular sulfur species in the
nanospheres through covalent bonding to carbon, these
materials obviate polysulfide dissolution and shuttling between lithium anode
and sulfur cathode. We show that carbonate electrolytes can be applied to avoid
lithium polysulfide dissolution and loss of active material from cathode. The
electrochemical behavior of the composite suggests a full and reversible
reduction and oxidation between elemental sulfur and lithium sulfide, providing
directions for rational design of sulfur cathode in lithium-sulfur batteries.