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Coaxial Carbon/MnO 2 Hollow Nanofibers as Sulfur Hosts for High‐Performance Lithium‐Sulfur Batteries
Author(s) -
Ni Lubin,
Zhao Gangjin,
Wang Yanting,
Wu Zhen,
Wang Wei,
Liao Yunyun,
Yang Guang,
Diao Guowang
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
chemistry – an asian journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.18
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1861-471X
pISSN - 1861-4728
DOI - 10.1002/asia.201701343
Subject(s) - nanofiber , carbon nanofiber , materials science , sulfur , carbon fibers , chemical engineering , lithium (medication) , cathode , redox , energy storage , surface modification , nanotechnology , carbon nanotube , chemistry , composite material , medicine , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , endocrinology , composite number , engineering , metallurgy
Lithium‐sulfur (Li‐S) batteries have recently attracted a large amount of attention as promising candidates for next‐generation high‐power energy storage devices because of their high theoretical capacity and energy density. However, the shuttle effect of polysulfides and poor conductivity of sulfur are still vital issues that constrain their specific capacity and cyclic stability. Here, we design coaxial MnO 2 ‐graphitic carbon hollow nanofibers as sulfur hosts for high‐performance lithium‐sulfur batteries. The hollow C/MnO 2 coaxial nanofibers are synthesized via electrospinning and carbonization of the carbon nanofibers (CNFs), followed by an in situ redox reaction to grow MnO 2 nanosheets on the surface of CNFs. The inner graphitic carbon layer not only maintains intimate contact with sulfur and outer MnO 2 shell to significantly increase the overall electrical conductivity but also acts as a protective layer to prevent dissolution of polysulfides. The outer MnO 2 nanosheets restrain the shuttle effect greatly through chemisorption and redox reaction. Therefore, the robust S@C/MnO 2 nanofiber cathode delivers an extraordinary rate capability and excellent cycling stability with a capacity decay rate of 0.044 and 0.051 % per cycle after 1000 cycles at 1.0 C and 2.0 C, respectively. Our present work brings forward a new facile and efficient strategy for the functionalization of inorganic metal oxide on graphitic carbons as sulfur hosts for high performance Li‐S batteries.