Issue 1, 2018

Self-assembled N-graphene nanohollows enabling ultrahigh energy density cathode for Li–S batteries

Abstract

Functional porous carbon materials are widely used to solve the low conductivity and shuttle effect of Li–S batteries; however, the common carbon/sulfur composite electrodes based on traditional technology (with conducting agents and binders) make it difficult for a battery to work stably at an ultra-high sulfur loading of 10 mg cm−2. Herein, an appropriate content of sulfur was injected into a pomegranate-like structure self-assembled with nanohollows (PSSN) of N-graphene. The Li-PSSN/S battery based on traditional technology displays a large-capacity, high-rate and long-life at an ultra-high areal-sulfur loading of 10.1 mg cm−2. The excellent performance with ultra-high areal-sulfur loading can be attributed to the hierarchal nanohollows with graphene-shells being in close contact to build a 3D-electronic conduction network and promoting electrolyte adsorption into the entire electrode to maintain rapid Li-ion transport, while stopping the shuttle-effect via the strong interaction of polysulfide with the doped N elements on graphene-shells. In addition, the exact sulfur content can provide just enough space to maintain the huge volume change and constant thickness of the S-electrodes during the charge–discharge process to enhance the cycling stability.

Graphical abstract: Self-assembled N-graphene nanohollows enabling ultrahigh energy density cathode for Li–S batteries

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Ndz 2017
Accepted
24 Huk 2017
First published
27 Huk 2017

Nanoscale, 2018,10, 386-395

Self-assembled N-graphene nanohollows enabling ultrahigh energy density cathode for Li–S batteries

H. Tang, J. Yang, G. Zhang, C. Liu, H. Wang, Q. Zhao, J. Hu, Y. Duan and F. Pan, Nanoscale, 2018, 10, 386 DOI: 10.1039/C7NR06731C

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements