Defect Engineering:Can it Mitigate Strong Coulomb Effect of Mg^(2+)in Cathode Materials for Rechargeable Magnesium Batteries?

Rechargeable magnesium batteries(RMBs)have been considered a promising“post lithium-ion battery”system to meet the rapidly increasing demand of the emerging electric vehicle and grid energy storage market.However,the sluggish diffusion kinetics of bivalent Mg^(2+)in the host material,related to the strong Coulomb effect between Mg^(2+)and host anion lattices,hinders their further development toward practical applications.Defect engineering,regarded as an effective strategy to break through the slow migration puzzle,has been validated in various cathode materials for RMBs.In this review,we first thoroughly understand the intrinsic mechanism of Mg^(2+)diffusion in cathode materials,from which the key factors affecting ion diffusion are further presented.Then,the positive effects of purposely introduced defects,including vacancy and doping,and the corresponding strategies for introducing various defects are discussed.The applications of defect engineering in cathode materials for RMBs with advanced electrochemical properties are also summarized.Finally,the existing challenges and future perspectives of defect engineering in cathode materials for the overall high-performance RMBs are described.

Dual-Defect Engineering Strategy Enables High-Durability Rechargeable Magnesium-Metal Batteries

Rechargeable magnesium-metal batteries(RMMBs)are promising next-generation secondary batteries;however,their development is inhibited by the low capacity and short cycle lifespan of cathodes.Although various strategies have been devised to enhance the Mg^(2+)migration kinetics and structural stability of cathodes,they fail to improve electronic conductivity,rendering the cathodes incompatible with magnesium-metal anodes.Herein,we propose a dual-defect engineering strategy,namely,the incorporation of Mg^(2+)pre-intercalation defect(P-Mgd)and oxygen defect(Od),to simultaneously improve the Mg^(2+)migration kinetics,structural stability,and electronic conductivity of the cathodes of RMMBs.Using lamellar V_(2)O_(5)·nH_(2)O as a demo cathode material,we prepare a cathode comprising Mg_(0.07)V_(2)O_(5)·1.4H_(2)O nanobelts composited with reduced graphene oxide(MVOH/rGO)with P-Mgd and Od.The Od enlarges interlayer spacing,accelerates Mg^(2+)migration kinetics,and prevents structural collapse,while the P-Mgd stabilizes the lamellar structure and increases electronic conductivity.Consequently,the MVOH/rGO cathode exhibits a high capacity of 197 mAh g^(−1),and the developed Mg foil//MVOH/rGO full cell demonstrates an incredible lifespan of 850 cycles at 0.1 A g^(−1),capable of powering a light-emitting diode.The proposed dual-defect engineering strategy provides new insights into developing high-durability,high-capacity cathodes,advancing the practical application of RMMBs,and other new secondary batteries.

Co/CoO heterojunction rich in oxygen vacancies introduced by O_(2) plasma embedded in mesoporous walls of carbon nanoboxes covered with carbon nanotubes for rechargeable zinc-air battery

Herein,Co/CoO heterojunction nanoparticles(NPs)rich in oxygen vacancies embedded in mesoporous walls of nitrogen-doped hollow carbon nanoboxes coupled with nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes(P-Co/CoOV@NHCNB@NCNT)are well designed through zeolite-imidazole framework(ZIF-67)carbonization,chemical vapor deposition,and O_(2) plasma treatment.As a result,the threedimensional NHCNBs coupled with NCNTs and unique heterojunction with rich oxygen vacancies reduce the charge transport resistance and accelerate the catalytic reaction rate of the P-Co/CoOV@NHCNB@NCNT,and they display exceedingly good electrocatalytic performance for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR,halfwave potential[EORR,1/2=0.855 V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode])and oxygen evolution reaction(OER,overpotential(η_(OER,10)=377mV@10mA cm^(−2)),which exceeds that of the commercial Pt/C+RuO_(2) and most of the formerly reported electrocatalysts.Impressively,both the aqueous and flexible foldable all-solid-state rechargeable zinc-air batteries(ZABs)assembled with the P-Co/CoOV@NHCNB@NCNT catalyst reveal a large maximum power density and outstanding long-term cycling stability.First-principles density functional theory calculations show that the formation of heterojunctions and oxygen vacancies enhances conductivity,reduces reaction energy barriers,and accelerates reaction kinetics rates.This work opens up a new avenue for the facile construction of highly active,structurally stable,and cost-effective bifunctional catalysts for ZABs.

A perspective on the key factors of safety for rechargeable magnesium batteries

Rechargeable Mg batteries(RMBs)have become one of the best subsitutes for lithium-ion batteries due to the high volumetric capacity,abundant resources,and uniform plating behavior of Mg metal anode.However,the safety hazard induced by the formation of high-modulue Mg dendrites under a high current density(10 mA cm^(-1))was still revealed in recent years.It has forced researchers to re-examine the safety of RMBs.In this review,the intrinsic safety factors of key components in RMBs,such as uneven plating,pitting and flammability of Mg anode,heat release and crystalline water decomposition of cathode,strong corrosion,low oxidition stability and flammability of electrolytes,and soforth,are systematacially summarized.Their origins,formation mechanisms,and possible safety hazards are deeply discussed.To develop high-performance Mg anode,current strategies including designing artificial SEI,three-dimensional substrates,and Mg alloys are summarized.For practical electrolytes,the configurations of boron-centered anions and simple Mg salts and the functionalized solvent with high boiling point and low flammability are suggested to comprehensively design.In addition,the future study should more focus on the investigation on the thermal runaway and decomposition of cathode materials and separa-tors.This review aims to provide fundamental insights into the relationship between electrochemistry and safety,further promoting the sustainable development of RMBs.

Heteroatom anchors Fe-Mn dual-atom catalysts with bi-functional oxygen catalytic activity for low-temperature rechargeable flexible Zn-air batteries

M-N-C(M=Fe,Co,Ni,etc.) catalyst owns high catalytic activity in the oxygen catalytic reaction which is the most likely to replace the Pt-based catalysts.But it is still a challenge to further increase the active site density.This article constructs the high-efficiency FeMn-N/S-C-1000 catalyst to realize ORR/OER bifunctional catalysis by hetero-atom,bimetal(Fe,Mn) doped simultaneously strategy.When evaluated it as bi-functional electro-catalysts,FeMn-N/S-C-1000 exhibits excellent catalytic activity(E_(1/2)=0.924 V,E_(j=10)=1.617 V) in alkaline media,outperforms conventional Pt/C,RuO_(2) and most non-precious-metal catalysts reported recently,Such outstanding performance is owing to N,S co-coordinated with metal to form multi-types of single atom,dual atom active sites to carry out bi-catalysis.Importantly,nitrite poison test provides the proof that the active sites of FeMn-N/S-C are more than that of single-atom catalysts to promote catalytic reactions directly.To better understand the local structure of Fe and Mn active sites,XAS and DFT were employed to reveal that FeMn-N_5/S-C site plays the key role during catalysis.Notably,the FeMn-N/S-C-1000 based low-temperature rechargeable flexible Zn-air also exhibits superior discharge performance and extraordinary durability at-40℃.This work will provide a new idea to design diatomic catalysts applied in low-temperature rechargeable batteries.

Functionally gradient materials for sustainable and high-energy rechargeable lithium batteries:Design principles,progress,and perspectives

Rechargeable lithium batteries with high-capacity cathodes/anodes promise high energy densities for nextgeneration electrochemical energy storage.However,the associated limitations at various scales greatly hinder their practical applications.Functional gradient material(FGM)design endows the electrode materials with property gradient,thus providing great opportunities to address the kinetics and stability obstacles.To date,still no review or perspective has covered recent advancements in gradient design at multiple scales for boosting lithium battery performances.To fill this void,this work provides a timely and comprehensive overview of this exciting and sustainable research field.We begin by overviewing the fundamental features of FGM and the rationales of gradient design for improved electrochemical performance.Then,we comprehensively review FGM design for rechargeable lithium batteries at various scales,including natural or artificial solid electrolyte interphase(SEI)at the nanoscale,micrometer-scale electrode particles,and macroscale electrode films.The link between gradient structure design and improved electrochemical performance is particularly highlighted.The most recent research into constructing novel functional gradients,such as valence and temperature gradients,has also been explored.Finally,we discussed the current constraints and future scope of FGM in rechargeable lithium batteries,aiming to inspire the development of novel FGM for next-generation high-performance lithium batteries.

A non-nucleophilic electrolyte based on all-inorganic salts with conditioning-free characteristic for rechargeable magnesium batteries

Conditioning-free electrolytes with high reversibility of Mg plating/stripping are of vital importance for the commercialization of the superior rechargeable magnesium batteries(RMBs).In the present work,a non-nucleophilic electrolyte(denoted as MLCH)based on all-inorganic salts of MgCl_(2),LiCl and CrCl_(3) for RMBs is prepared by a straightforward one-step reaction.As a result,the MLCH electrolyte shows the noticeable performance of high ionic conductivity(3.40 mS cm^(−1)),low overpotential(∼46 mV vs Mg/Mg^(2+)),high Coulombic efficiency(∼93%),high anodic stability(SS,∼2.56 V vs Mg/Mg^(2+))and long-term(more than 500 h)cycling stability,especially the conditioning-free characteristic.The main equilibrium species in the MLCH electrolyte are confirmed to be the tetracoordinated anions of[LiCl2(THF)2]−and solvated dimers of[Mg_(2)(μ-Cl)3(THF)6]+.The addition of LiCl can assist the dissolution of MgCl_(2) and activation of the electrode/electrolyte interface,resulting in a superior Mg plating/stripping efficiency.The synergistic effect of LiCl,CrCl_(3),a small amount of HpMS and the absence of polymerization THF enable the conditioning-free characteristic of the MLCH electrolyte.Moreover,the MLCH electrolyte exhibits decent compatibility with the cathodic materials of CuS.The Mg/CuS full cell using the MLCH electrolyte presents a discharge specific capacity of 215 mAh g^(−1)at 0.1 C and the capacity can retain∼72%after 40 cycles.Notably,the MLCH electrolyte has other superiorities such as the broad sources of materials,low-cost and easy-preparation,leading to the potential prospect of commercial application.

Engineering single-atom Mn on nitrogen-doped carbon to regulate lithium-peroxide reaction kinetics for rechargeable lithium-oxygen batteries

Precision engineering of catalytic sites to guide more favorable pathways for Li_(2)O_(2) nucleation and decom-position represents an enticing kinetic strategy for mitigating overpotential,enhancing discharge capac-ity,and improving recycling stability of Li-O_(2) batteries.In this work,we employ metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)derivation and ion substitution strategies to construct atomically dispersed Mn-N_(4) moieties on hierarchical porous nitrogen-doped carbon(Mn SAs-NC)with the aim of reducing the over-potential and improving the cycling stability of Li-O_(2) batteries.The porous structure provides more chan-nels for mass transfer and exposes more highly active sites for electrocatalytic reactions,thus promoting the formation and decomposition of Li_(2)O_(2).The Li-O_(2) batteries with Mn SAs-NC cathode achieve lower overpotential,higher specific capacity(14290 mA h g^(-1) at 100 mAg^(-1)),and superior cycle stability(>100 cycles at 200 mA g^(-1))compared with the Mn NPs-NC and NC.Density functional theory(DFT)cal-culations reveal that the construction of Mn-N_(4) moiety tunes the charge distribution of the pyridinic N-rich vacancy and balances the affinity of the intermediates(LiO_(2) and Li_(2)O_(2)).The initial nucleation of Li_(2)O_(2) on Mn SAs-NC favors the O_(2)-→LiO_(2)→Li_(2)O_(2) surface-adsorption pathway,which mitigates the overpoten-tials of the oxygen reduction(ORR)and oxygen evolution reaction(OER).As a result,Mn SAs-NC with Mn-N_(4) moiety effectively facilitates the Li_(2)O_(2) nucleation and enables its reversible decomposition.This work establishes a methodology for constructing carbon-based electrocatalysts with high activity and selectivity for Li-O_(2)batteries.

Interfacial chemistry of anode/electrolyte interface for rechargeable magnesium batteries

Rechargeable magnesium batteries(RMBs),as a low-cost,high-safety and high-energy storage technology,have attracted tremendous attention in large-scale energy storage applications.However,the key anode/electrolyte interfacial issues,including surface passivation,uneven Mg plating/stripping,and pulverization after cycling still result in a large overpotential,short cycling life,poor power density,and possible safety hazards of cells,severely impeding the commercial development of RMBs.In this review,a concise overview of recently advanced strategies to address these anode/electroyte interfacial issues is systematically classified and summarized.The design of magnesiophilic substrates,construction of artificial SEI layers,and modification of electrolyte are important and effective strategies to improve the uniformity/kinetics of Mg plating/stripping and achieve the stable anode/electrolyte interface.The key opportunities and challenges in this field are advisedly put forward,and the insights into future directions for stabilizing Mg metal anodes and the anode/electrolyte interface are highlighted.This review provides important references fordeveloping the high-performance and high-safety RMBs.

An Integrated Bifunctional Pressure‒Temperature Sensing System Fabricated on a Breathable Nanofiber and Powered by Rechargeable Zinc–Air Battery for Long‑Term Comfortable Health Care Monitoring

Bulky external power supplies largely limit the continuous long-term application and miniaturization development of smart sensing devices.Here,we fabricate a flexible and wearable integrated sensing system on an electrospun all-nanofiber platform.The three parts of the sensing system are all obtained by a facile ink-based direct writing method.The resistive pressure sensor is realized by decorating MXene sheets on TPU nanofiber.And,the resistive temperature sensor is prepared by compositing MXene sheets into poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)(PEDOT:PSS).The thin-film zinc–air battery(ZAB)includes an interdigital zinc–air electrode that is bonded with a gel polymer electrolyte.It can supply a high open-circuit voltage of 1.39 V and a large areal capacity of 18.2 mAh cm^(-2) for stable and reliable power-supplying sensing parts operation.Thanks to the hydrophobic nature of TPU and open-ended micropores in the TPU nanofiber,the sensing system is waterproof,self-cleaning,and air and moisture permeable.For application,the above-mentioned functional components are seamlessly integrated into an intelligent electronic wristband,which is comfortably worn on a human wrist to monitor pulse and body temperature in real time with continuous operation of up to 4 h.By the novel design and remarkable performance,the proposed integrated all-nanofiber sensing system presents a promising solution for developing advanced multifunctional wearable electronics.

3D porous reduced graphene cathode and non-corrosive electrolyte for long-life rechargeable aluminum batteries

Owing to their high volumetric capacity,low cost and high safety,rechargeable aluminum batteries have become promising candidates for energy applications.However,the high charge density of Al^(3+)leads to strong coulombic interactions between anions and the cathode,resulting in sluggish diffusion kinetics and irreversible collapse of the cathode structure.Furthermore,AlCl_(3)-based ionic liquids,which are commonly used as electrolytes in such batteries,corrode battery components and are prone to side reactions.The above problems lead to low capacity and poor cycling stability.Herein,we propose a reduced graphene oxide(rGO)cathode with a three-dimensional porous structure prepared using a simple and scalable method.The lamellar edges and oxygen-containing group defects of rGO synergistically provide abundant ion storage sites and enhance ion transfer kinetics.We matched the prepared rGO cathode with noncorrosive electrolyte 0.5 mol·L^(-1) Al(OTF)_(3)/[BMIM]OTF and Al metal to construct a high-performance battery,Al||rGO-150,with good cycling stability for 2700 cycles.Quasi-in-situ physicochemical characterization results show that the ion storage mechanism is codominated by diffusion and capacitance.The capacity consists of the insertion of Al-based species cations as well as synergistic adsorption of Al(OTF)_(x)^((3-x)+)(x<3)and[BMIM]+.The present study promotes the fundamental and applied research on rechargeable aluminum batteries.

Template synthesis of MnO_2/CNT nanocomposite and its application in rechargeable lithium batteries

Nanostructured MnO2/CNT composite was synthesized by a soft template approach in the presence of Pluronic P123 surfactant. The product was characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the sample consists of poor crystalline α-MnO2 nanorods with a diameter of about 10 nm and a length of 30-50 nm, which absorb on the carbon nanotubes. The electrochemical properties of the product as cathode material for Li-MnO2 cell are evaluated by galvanostatic charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy （EIS）. Compared with pure MnO2 electrode, the MnO2/CNT composite delivers a much larger initial capacity of 275.3 mA-h/g and better rate and cycling performance.

Advances in All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries for Commercialization

Solid-state batteries are commonly acknowledged as the forthcoming evolution in energy storage technologies.Recent development progress for these rechargeable batteries has notably accelerated their trajectory toward achieving commercial feasibility.In particular,all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries(ASSLSBs)that rely on lithium-sulfur reversible redox processes exhibit immense potential as an energy storage system,surpassing conventional lithium-ion batteries.This can be attributed predominantly to their exceptional energy density,extended operational lifespan,and heightened safety attributes.Despite these advantages,the adoption of ASSLSBs in the commercial sector has been sluggish.To expedite research and development in this particular area,this article provides a thorough review of the current state of ASSLSBs.We delve into an in-depth analysis of the rationale behind transitioning to ASSLSBs,explore the fundamental scientific principles involved,and provide a comprehensive evaluation of the main challenges faced by ASSLSBs.We suggest that future research in this field should prioritize plummeting the presence of inactive substances,adopting electrodes with optimum performance,minimizing interfacial resistance,and designing a scalable fabrication approach to facilitate the commercialization of ASSLSBs.

Revealing the Multifunctional Electrocatalysis of Indium-Modulated Phthalocyanine for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

The sluggish kinetics of complicated multiphase conversions and the severe shuttling effect of lithium polysulfides(LiPSs)significantly hinder the applications of Li-S battery,which is one of the most promising candidates for the next-generation energy storage system.Herein,a bifunctional electrocatalyst,indium phthalocyanine self-assembled with carbon nanotubes(InPc@CNT)composite material,is proposed to promote the conversion kinetics of both reduction and oxidation processes,demonstrating a bidirectional catalytic effect on both nucleation and dissolution of Li_(2)S species.The theoretical calculation shows that the unique electronic configuration of InPc@CNT is conducive to trapping soluble polysulfides in the reduction process,as well as the modulation of electron transfer dynamics also endows the dissolution of Li_(2)S in the oxidation reaction,which will accelerate the effectiveness of catalytic conversion and facilitate sulfur utilization.Moreover,the InPc@CNT modified separator displays lower overpotential for polysulfide transformation,alleviating polarization of electrode during cycling.The integrated spectroscopy analysis,HRTEM,and electrochemical study reveal that the InPc@CNT acts as an efficient multifunctional catalytic center to satisfy the requirements of accelerating charging and discharging processes.Therefore,the Li-S battery with InPc@CNT-modified separator obtains a discharge-specific capacity of 1415 mAh g^(-1)at a high rate of 0.5 C.Additionally,the 2 Ah Li-S pouch cells deliver 315 Wh kg^(-1)and achieved 80%capacity retention after 50 cycles at 0.1 C with a high sulfur loading of 10 mg cm^(-2).Our study provides a practical method to introduce bifunctional electrocatalysts for boosting the electrochemical properties of Li-S batteries.

Stable immobilization of lithium polysulfides using three-dimensional ordered mesoporous Mn_(2)O_(3) as the host material in lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries(LSBs)have drawn significant attention owing to their high theoretical discharge capacity and energy density.However,the dissolution of long-chain polysulfides into the electrolyte during the charge and discharge process(“shuttle effect”)results in fast capacity fading and inferior electrochemical performance.In this study,Mn_(2)O_(3)with an ordered mesoporous structure(OM-Mn_(2)O_(3))was designed as a cathode host for LSBs via KIT-6 hard templating,to effectively inhibit the polysulfide shuttle effect.OM-Mn_(2)O_(3)offers numerous pores to confine sulfur and tightly anchor the dissolved polysulfides through the combined effects of strong polar-polar interactions,polysulfides,and sulfur chain catenation.The OM-Mn_(2)O_(3)/S composite electrode delivered a discharge capacity of 561 mAh g^(-1) after 250 cycles at 0.5 C owing to the excellent performance of OM-Mn_(2)O_(3).Furthermore,it retained a discharge capacity of 628mA h g^(-1) even at a rate of 2 C,which was significantly higher than that of a pristine sulfur electrode(206mA h g^(-1)).These findings provide a prospective strategy for designing cathode materials for high-performance LSBs.

In Situ Coupling Strategy for Anchoring Monodisperse Co_9S_8 Nanoparticles on S and N Dual?Doped Graphene as a Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Rechargeable Zn–Air Battery

An in situ coupling strategy to prepare Co_9S_8/S and N dual?doped graphene composite(Co_9S_8/NSG) has been proposed. The key point of this strategy is the function?oriented design of organic compounds. Herein, cobalt porphyrin derivatives with sulfo groups are employed as not only the coupling agents to form and anchor Co_9S_8 on the graphene in situ, but also the heteroatom?doped agent to generate S and N dual?doped graphene. The tight coupling of multiple active sites endows the composite materials with fast electrochemical kinetics and excellent stability for both oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction(OER). The obtained electrocatalyst exhibits better activity parameter(ΔE = 0.82 V) and smaller Tafel slope(47.7 mV dec^(-1) for ORR and 69.2 mV dec^(-1) for OER) than commercially available Pt/C and RuO_2. Most importantly, as electrocatalyst for rechargeable Zn–air battery, Co_9S_8/NSG displays low charge–discharge voltage gap and outstanding long?term cycle stability over 138 h compared to Pt/C–RuO_2. To further broaden its application scope, a homemade all?solid?state Zn–air battery is also prepared, which displays good charge–discharge performance and cycle performance. The function?oriented design of N_4?metallomacrocycle derivatives might open new avenues to strategic construction of high?performance and long?life multifunctional electrocatalysts for wider electro?chemical energy applications.

Progress in aqueous rechargeable batteries

Over the past decades, a series of aqueous rechargeable batteries(ARBs) were explored, investigated and demonstrated. Among them,aqueous rechargeable alkali-metal ion(Li^+Na^+, K^+) batteries, aqueous rechargeable-metal ion(Zn^(2+),Mg^(2+), Ca^(2+), Al^(3+)) batteries and aqueous rechargeable hybrid batteries are standing out due to peculiar properties. In this review, we focus on the fundamental basics of these batteries, and discuss the scientific and/or technological achievements and challenges. By critically reviewing state-of-the-art technologies and the most promising results so far, we aim to analyze the benefits of ARBs and the critical issues to be addressed, and to promote better development of ARBs.

Flexible rechargeable Ni//Zn battery based on self-supported NiCo_2O_4 nanosheets with high power density and good cycling stability

The overall electrochemical performances of Ni-Zn batteries are still far from satisfactory, specifically for rate performance and cycling stability Herein, we demonstrated a high-performance flexible Ni//Zn battery with outstanding durability and high power density based on selfsupported NiCo_2 O_4 nanosheets as cathode and Zn nanosheets as anode. This Ni//Zn battery is able to deliver a remarkable capacity of183.1 mAh g^(-1) and a good cycling performance(82.7% capacity retention after 3500 cycles). More importantly, this battery achieves an admirable power density of 49.0 kW kg^(-1) and energy density of 303.8 Wh kg^(-1), substantially higher than most recently reported batteries. With such excellent electrochemical performance, this battery will have great potential as an ultrafast power source in practical application.

Toward better electrode/electrolyte interfaces in the ionic-liquid-based rechargeable aluminum batteries

The past decade has witnessed the germination of rechargeable aluminum batteries(RABs)with the colossal potential to enact as a device for the large scale energy storage and conversion.The Majority of investigations are dedicated to the exploration of suitable cathode materials,while less is known about the electrode/electrolyte interfaces that determine the electrochemistry of batteries.In this perspective,we will highlight the significance of electrode/electrolyte interface for RABs,in overall kinetics and capacity retention.Emphasis will be laid on the complicated yet basic understandings of the phenomena at the interfaces,including the dendrite growth,surface Al2O3 and solid–electrolyte-interphase(SEI).And we will summarize the reported practice in effort to build better electrode/electrolyte interfaces in RAB.In the end,outlook regarding to the challenges,opportunities and directions is presented.

Battery Separators Functionalized with Edge-Rich MoS2/C Hollow Microspheres for the Uniform Deposition of Li2S in High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

As promising energy storage systems,lithium-sulfur(Li-S)batteries have attracted significant attention because of their ultra-high energy densities.However,Li-S battery suffers problems related to the complex phase conversion that occurs during the charge-discharge process,particularly the deposition of solid Li2S from the liquid-phase polysulfides,which greatly limits its practical application.In this paper,edge-rich MoS2/C hollow microspheres(Edg-MoS2/C HMs)were designed and used to functionalize separator for Li-S battery,resulting in the uniform deposition of Li2S.The microspheres were fabricated through the facile hydrothermal treatment of MoO3-aniline nanowires and a subsequent carbonization process.The obtained Edg-MoS2/C HMs have a strong chemical absorption capability and high density of Li2S binding sites,and exhibit excellent electrocatalytic performance and can effectively hinder the polysulfide shuttle effect and guide the uniform nucleation and growth of Li2S.Furthermore,we demonstrate that the Edg-MoS2/C HMs can effectively regulate the deposition of Li2S and significantly improve the reversibility of the phase conversion of the active sulfur species,especially at high sulfur loadings and high C-rates.As a result,a cell containing a separator functionalized with Edg-MoS2/C HMs exhibited an initial discharge capacity of 935 mAh g-1 at 1.0 C and maintained a capacity of 494 mAh g-1 after 1000 cycles with a sulfur loading of 1.7 mg cm-2.Impressively,at a high sulfur loading of 6.1 mg cm-2 and high rate of 0.5 C,the cell still delivered a high reversible discharge capacity of 478 mAh g-1 after 300 cycles.This work provides fresh insights into energy storage systems related to complex phase conversions.