Hierarchical Porous, N-Containing Carbon Supports for High Loading Sulfur Cathodes

The lithium-polysulfide (LiPS) dissolution from the cathode to the organic electrolyte is the main challenge for high-energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). Herein, we present a multi-functional porous carbon, melamine cyanurate (MCA)-glucose-derived carbon (MGC), with superior porosity, el...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jae-Woo Park, Hyun Jin Hwang, Hui-Ju Kang, Gazi A. K. M. Rafiqul Bari, Tae-Gyu Lee, Byeong-Hyeon An, Sung Yong Cho, Young-Si Jun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
Series:Nanomaterials
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/2/408
Description
Summary:The lithium-polysulfide (LiPS) dissolution from the cathode to the organic electrolyte is the main challenge for high-energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). Herein, we present a multi-functional porous carbon, melamine cyanurate (MCA)-glucose-derived carbon (MGC), with superior porosity, electrical conductivity, and polysulfide affinity as an efficient sulfur support to mitigate the shuttle effect. MGC is prepared via a reactive templating approach, wherein the organic MCA crystals are utilized as the pore-/micro-structure-directing agent and nitrogen source. The homogeneous coating of spherical MCA crystal particles with glucose followed by carbonization at 600 °C leads to the formation of hierarchical porous hollow carbon spheres with abundant pyridinic N-functional groups without losing their microstructural ordering. Moreover, MGC enables facile penetration and intensive anchoring of LiPS, especially under high loading sulfur conditions. Consequently, the MGC cathode exhibited a high areal capacity of 5.79 mAh cm<sup>−2</sup> at 1 mA cm<sup>−2</sup> and high loading sulfur of 6.0 mg cm<sup>−2</sup> with a minor capacity decay rate of 0.18% per cycle for 100 cycles.
ISSN:2079-4991