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Yolk–Shelled C@Fe 3 O 4 Nanoboxes as Efficient Sulfur Hosts for High‐Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Author(s) -
He Jiarui,
Luo Liu,
Chen Yuanfu,
Manthiram Arumugam
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201702707
Subject(s) - polysulfide , sulfur , materials science , carbon fibers , electrochemistry , chemical engineering , lithium (medication) , cathode , dissolution , lithium–sulfur battery , nanotechnology , electrode , chemistry , electrolyte , composite material , metallurgy , medicine , composite number , engineering , endocrinology
Owing to the high theoretical specific capacity (1675 mA h g −1 ) and low cost, lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries offer advantages for next‐generation energy storage. However, the polysulfide dissolution and low electronic conductivity of sulfur cathodes limit the practical application of Li–S batteries. To address such issues, well‐designed yolk–shelled carbon@Fe 3 O 4 (YSC@Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoboxes as highly efficient sulfur hosts for Li–S batteries are reported here. With both physical entrapment by carbon shells and strong chemical interaction with Fe 3 O 4 cores, this unique architecture immobilizes the active material and inhibits diffusion of the polysulfide intermediates. Moreover, due to their high conductivity, the carbon shells and the polar Fe 3 O 4 cores facilitate fast electron/ion transport and promote continuous reactivation of the active material during the charge/discharge process, resulting in improved electrochemical utilization and reversibility. With these merits, the S/YSC@Fe 3 O 4 cathodes support high sulfur content (80 wt%) and loading (5.5 mg cm −2 ) and deliver high specific capacity, excellent rate capacity, and long cycling stability. This work provides a new perspective to design a carbon/metal‐oxide‐based yolk–shelled framework as a high sulfur‐loading host for advanced Li–S batteries with superior electrochemical properties.