Activated clay of nest structure encapsulated sulfur cathodes for lithium–sulfur batteries

Abstract

Activated clay (AC) with a nest-like structure and a large surface area was employed to support sulfur as the cathode for lithium–sulfur batteries. The special structure may have a similar effect to small filter screens for entrapping sulfur and restricting the diffusion of polysulfides during cycling. A high capacity of 959.6 mA h g⁻¹ was achieved at a rate of 0.1 C in the first cycle for the AC/S composite with a sulfur content of 57 wt% and the reversible capacity remained high at up to 700.9 mA h g⁻¹ even after 50 cycles.