title: Long-life Li/polysulphide batteries with high sulphur loading enabled by lightweight three-dimensional nitrogen/sulphur-codoped graphene sponge.
abstract: Lithium-sulphur batteries with a high theoretical energy density are regarded as promising energy storage devices for electric vehicles and large-scale electricity storage. However, the low active material utilization, low sulphur loading and poor cycling stability restrict their practical applications. Herein, we present an effective strategy to obtain Li/polysulphide batteries with high-energy density and long-cyclic life using three-dimensional nitrogen/sulphur codoped graphene sponge electrodes. The nitrogen/sulphur codoped graphene sponge electrode provides enough space for a high sulphur loading, facilitates fast charge transfer and better immobilization of polysulphide ions. The hetero-doped nitrogen/sulphur sites are demonstrated to show strong binding energy and be capable of anchoring polysulphides based on first-principles calculations. As a result, a high specific capacity of 1,200 mAh g(-1) at 0.2C rate, a high-rate capacity of 430 mAh g(-1) at 2C rate and excellent cycling stability for 500 cycles with ∼0.078% capacity decay per cycle are achieved.
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and Engineering Program &Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 204 East Dean Keeton Street, Mail Stop: C2200, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Guangmin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 204 East Dean Keeton Street, Mail Stop: C2200, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Eunsu
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paek
authors.affiliation: McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 204 East Dean Keeton Street, Mail Stop: C2200, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Gyeong S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Materials Science and Engineering Program &Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, 204 East Dean Keeton Street, Mail Stop: C2200, Austin, Texas 78712, USA.
authors.forename: Arumugam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manthiram