An orderly arranged dual-role MIL-53(Al)nanorods array rooted on carbon nanotube film for long-life and stable lithium-sulfur batteries

It is of great value to synchronously resolve the critical issues of the polysulfide shuttle and dendrite growth in lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries.Herein,a bifunctional Al-based Material of Institute Lavoisier-53(MIL-53(Al))/carbon nanotube(MIL-53/CNT)composite is reported for this matter,which was constructed by growing an ordered MIL-53(Al)nanorods array on the CNT film.For the sulfur cathode,the proposed structure serves as a multifunctional interlayer to block polysulfides and accelerate their catalytic conversion,thus efficaciously inhibiting the shuttle effect.Meanwhile,when applied as the anode host material(Li@MIL-53/CNT),the flexible CNT film serves as a self-standing framework to accommodate Li metal and alleviate the volume expansion,while the uniform ion channels built by the MIL-53(Al)nanorods array along with the abundant oxygen groups can homogenize Li ion diffusion,enabling a steady Li plating/stripping behavior and limiting the dendrite growth.Not surprisingly,Li-S full battery with MIL-53/CNT interlayer and Li@MIL-53/CNT anode delivers an appreciable specific capacity of 735 mAh·g^(–1)and excellent cycle durability at 5 C,presenting a limited capacity decay of 0.03%per cycle in 500 cycles.Besides,an impressive cycle stability and rate capability are also achieved at high-sulfur loading and lean electrolyte conditions.