Open AccessA flexible metallic TiC nanofiber/vertical graphene 1D / 2D heterostructured as active electrocatalyst for advanced Li–S batteries
Author(s) -
Zhang Yongshang,
Zhang Peng,
Zhang Shijie,
Wang Zheng,
Li Neng,
Silva S. Ravi P.,
Shao Guosheng
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
infomat
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2567-3165
DOI - 10.1002/inf2.12214
Subject(s) - graphene , nanofiber , materials science , cathode , electrocatalyst , battery (electricity) , electrospinning , chemical engineering , electrolyte , nanotechnology , lithium–sulfur battery , sulfur , electrode , chemistry , electrochemistry , composite material , polymer , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering , metallurgy
The realistic application of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries has been severely hindered by the sluggish conversion kinetics of polysulfides (LiPS) and inhomogeneous deposition of Li 2 S at high sulfur loading and low electrolyte/sulfur ratio (E/S). Herein, a flexible Li–S battery architecture based on electrocatalyzed cathodes made of interfacial engineered TiC nanofibers and in situ grown vertical graphene are developed. Integrated 1D/2D heterostructured electrocatalysts are realized to enable highly improved Li + and electron transportation together with significantly enhanced affinity to LiPS, which effectively accelerate the conversion kinetics between sulfur species, and thus induce homogeneous deposition of Li 2 S in the catalyzed cathodes. Consequently, highly active electro‐electrocatalysts‐based cells exhibit remarkable rate capability at 2C with a high specific capacity of 971 mAh g −1 . Even at ultra‐high sulfur loading and low E/S ratio, the battery still delivers a high areal capacity of 9.1 mAh cm −2 , with a flexible pouch cell being demonstrated to power a LED array at different bending angles with a high capacity over 100 cycles. This work puts forward a novel pathway for the rational design of effective nanofiber electrocatalysts for cathodes of high‐performance Li–S batteries.