title: A microporous-mesoporous carbon with graphitic structure for a high-rate stable sulfur cathode in carbonate solvent-based Li-S batteries.
abstract: A microporous-mesoporous carbon with graphitic structure was developed as a matrix for the sulfur cathode of a Li-S cell using a mixed carbonate electrolyte. Sulfur was selectively introduced into the carbon micropores by a melt adsorption-solvent extraction strategy. The micropores act as solvent-restricted reactors for sulfur lithiation that promise long cycle stability. The mesopores remain unfilled and provide an ion migration pathway, while the graphitic structure contributes significantly to low-resistance electron transfer. The selective distribution of sulfur in micropores was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nitrogen cryosorption analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The high-rate stable lithiation-delithiation of the carbon-sulfur cathode was evaluated using galvanostatic charge-discharge tests, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The cathode is able to operate reversibly over 800 cycles with a 1.8 C discharge-recharge rate. This integration of a micropore reactor, a mesopore ion reservoir, and a graphitic electron conductor represents a generalized strategy to be adopted in research on advanced sulfur cathodes.
authors.affiliation: ARC Centre of Excellence for Functional Nanomaterials, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. d.wang6@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Da-Wei
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guangmin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Kuang-Hsu
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Gao Qing Max
authors.initials: GQ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Hui-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Gentle