title: A Free-Standing Sulfur/Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanotube Electrode for High-Performance Lithium/Sulfur Batteries.
abstract: A free-standing sulfur/nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube (S/N-CNT) composite prepared via a simple solution method was first studied as a cathode material for lithium/sulfur batteries. By taking advantage of the self-weaving behavior of N-CNT, binders and current collectors are rendered unnecessary in the cathode, thereby simplifying its manufacturing and increasing the sulfur weight ratio in the electrode. Transmission electronic microscopy showed the formation of a highly developed core-shell tubular structure consisting of S/N-CNT composite with uniform sulfur coating on the surface of N-CNT. As a core in the composite, the N-CNT with N functionalization provides a highly conductive and mechanically flexible framework, enhancing the electronic conductivity and consequently the rate capability of the material.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Energy Equipment Materials, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China. zhaoyan84830@hotmail.com.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Laminating Fabrication and Interface Control Technology for Advanced Materials, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China. zhaoyan84830@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Energy Equipment Materials, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China. foxing2008@hotmail.co.jp.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Laminating Fabrication and Interface Control Technology for Advanced Materials, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China. foxing2008@hotmail.co.jp.
authors.forename: Fuxing
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Energy Equipment Materials, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China. yongguangzhang@hebut.edu.cn.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Laminating Fabrication and Interface Control Technology for Advanced Materials, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China. yongguangzhang@hebut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yongguang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Energy Equipment Materials, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China. zhangpan0411@sina.com.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Laminating Fabrication and Interface Control Technology for Advanced Materials, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China. zhangpan0411@sina.com.
authors.forename: Chengwei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Batteries LLC, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan. almagul.mentbayeva@nu.edu.kz.|PI Nazarbayev University Research and Innovation System, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan. almagul.mentbayeva@nu.edu.kz.
authors.forename: Almagul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mentbayeva
authors.affiliation: Institute of Batteries LLC, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan. nurzhan.umirov@nu.edu.kz.|PI Nazarbayev University Research and Innovation System, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan. nurzhan.umirov@nu.edu.kz.
authors.forename: Nurzhan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Umirov
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Energy Equipment Materials, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China. hongxianxie@163.com.|Tianjin Key Laboratory of Laminating Fabrication and Interface Control Technology for Advanced Materials, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin, 300130, China. hongxianxie@163.com.
authors.forename: Hongxian
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Institute of Batteries LLC, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan. zbakenov@nu.edu.kz.|PI Nazarbayev University Research and Innovation System, Nazarbayev University, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan. zbakenov@nu.edu.kz.
authors.forename: Zhumabay
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bakenov
keywords: Free-standing electrode; Lithium/sulfur battery; Sulfur/nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube composite cathode