Bimetallic Compound Catalysts with Multiple Active Centers for Accelerated Polysulfide Conversion in Li-S Batteries

Authors

Wu-Xing Hua, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon and Electrochemical Energy Storage, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
Jing-Yi Xia, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon and Electrochemical Energy Storage, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
Zhong-Hao Hu, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon and Electrochemical Energy Storage, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
Huan Li
Wei Lv, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Graphene-based Materials and Engineering Laboratory for Functionalized Carbon Material, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, 518055, ChinaFollow
Quan-Hong Yang, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Advanced Carbon and Electrochemical Energy Storage, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, ChinaFollow

Corresponding Author

Wei Lv(lv.wei@sz.tsinghua.edu.cn);
Quan-Hong Yang(qhyangcn@tju.edu.cn)

Abstract

Practical applications of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are hindered mainly by the low sulfur utilization and severe capacity fading derived from the polysulfide shuttling. Catalysis is an effective remedy to those problems by promoting the conversion of polysulfides to reduce their accumulation in the electrolyte, which needs the catalyst to have efficient adsorption ability to soluble polysulfides and high activity for their conversion. In this work, we have proposed a bimetallic compound of NiCo₂S₄ anchored onto sulfur-doped graphene (NCS@SG) to fabricate a catalytic interlayer for Li-S batteries. Compared to CoS, the NiCo₂S₄ demonstrated much higher catalytic activity toward sulfur reduction reaction due to its multiple anchoring and catalytic active sites derived from the coordination of the bimetallic centers. As a result, the NCS@SG interlayer dramatically improved the specific capacity, rate performance, and cyclingstability of Li-S batteries. Especially, when the areal sulfur loading of the NCS@SG battery increased to 15.3 mg·cm^–2, the high-capacity retention of 93.9 % could be achieved over 50 cycles.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Lithium-sulfur batteries; Lithium polysulfides; Catalysis; Bimetallic sulfide catalyst; Shuttle effec

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.13208/j.electrochem.2217006

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Publication Date

2023-03-28

Online Available Date

2022-09-19

Revised Date

2022-08-23

Received Date

2022-07-30

Recommended Citation

Wu-Xing Hua, Jing-Yi Xia, Zhong-Hao Hu, Huan Li, Wei Lv, Quan-Hong Yang. Bimetallic Compound Catalysts with Multiple Active Centers for Accelerated Polysulfide Conversion in Li-S Batteries[J]. Journal of Electrochemistry, 2023 , 29(3): 2217006.
DOI: 10.13208/j.electrochem.2217006
Available at: https://jelectrochem.xmu.edu.cn/journal/vol29/iss3/4