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Improved specific capacity of sulfur/starch‐based activated carbon spheres composites by polyaniline‐based carbon encapsulation strategy
Author(s) -
Zhao Shuo,
Guo Qun,
Xian Xiaochao,
Wang Jin
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.46544
Subject(s) - polysulfide , polyaniline , sulfur , electrochemistry , materials science , lithium–sulfur battery , chemical engineering , cathode , composite material , carbon fibers , chemistry , electrode , polymer , electrolyte , composite number , metallurgy , engineering , polymerization
Lithium‐sulfur battery is one of the most promising electrochemical energy storage systems because of its high theoretical specific capacity and energy density. When carbon materials are used for immobilizing sulfur, the technical challenge is designing their framework to relieve the shuttle effect of polysulfides intermediates and the volume change of sulfur, and to improve the conductivity of sulfur. Herein, polyaniline‐based carbon (PANI‐C) coated corn starch‐based activated carbon spheres (ACS@PANI‐C) was prepared and used as hosts of sulfur, which can effectively combine the advantages of physical entrapment and chemical binding interactions of sulfur species. The results of electrochemical performance test indicate that S/ACS@PANI‐C composites exhibit much better electrochemical performance than S/ACS composites. Its reversible capacities at 320, 480, 800 and 1600 mA g −1 are 687, 582, 504 and 393 mAh g −1 , respectively. The improved electrochemical performance can be attributed to the PANI‐C which can also act as a flexible cushion to accommodate volume changes of sulfur cathode as well as a barrier to trap soluble polysulfide intermediates during the charge–discharge process. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135 , 46544.