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NiCo 2 O 4 Nanofibers as Carbon‐Free Sulfur Immobilizer to Fabricate Sulfur‐Based Composite with High Volumetric Capacity for Lithium–Sulfur Battery
Author(s) -
Liu YaTao,
Han DianDian,
Wang Lu,
Li GuoRan,
Liu Sheng,
Gao XuePing
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
advanced energy materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.08
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1614-6840
pISSN - 1614-6832
DOI - 10.1002/aenm.201803477
Subject(s) - sulfur , materials science , gravimetric analysis , composite number , carbon fibers , lithium–sulfur battery , carbon nanofiber , chemical engineering , cathode , lithium (medication) , battery (electricity) , catalysis , nanofiber , composite material , carbon nanotube , electrode , electrochemistry , organic chemistry , chemistry , metallurgy , thermodynamics , power (physics) , physics , engineering , medicine , endocrinology
Both the energy density and cycle stability are still challenges for lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries in future practical applications. Usually, light‐weight and nonpolar carbon materials are used as the hosts of sulfur, however they struggle on the cycle stability and undermine the volumetric energy density of Li–S batteries. Here, heavy NiCo 2 O 4 nanofibers as carbon‐free sulfur immobilizers are introduced to fabricate sulfur‐based composites. NiCo 2 O 4 can accelerate the catalytic conversion kinetics of soluble intermediate polysulfides by strong chemical interaction, leading to a good cycle stability of sulfur cathodes. Specifically, the S/NiCo 2 O 4 composite presents a high gravimetric capacity of 1125 mAh g −1 at 0.1 C rate with the composite as active material, and a low fading rate of 0.039% per cycle over 1500 cycles at 1 C rate. In particular, the S/NiCo 2 O 4 composite with the high tap density of 1.66 g cm −3 delivers large volumetric capacity of 1867 mAh cm −3 , almost twice that of the conventional S/carbon composites.