title: Highly Efficient Retention of Polysulfides in "Sea Urchin"-Like Carbon Nanotube/Nanopolyhedra Superstructures as Cathode Material for Ultralong-Life Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.
abstract: Despite high theoretical energy density, the practical deployment of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries is still not implemented because of the severe capacity decay caused by polysulfide shuttling and the poor rate capability induced by low electrical conductivity of sulfur. Herein, we report a novel sulfur host material based on "sea urchin"-like cobalt nanoparticle embedded and nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube/nanopolyhedra (Co-NCNT/NP) superstructures for Li-S batteries. The hierarchical micromesopores in Co-NCNT/NP can allow efficient impregnation of sulfur and block diffusion of soluble polysulfides by physical confinement, and the incorporation of embedded Co nanoparticles and nitrogen doping (∼4.6 at. %) can synergistically improve the adsorption of polysulfides, as evidenced by beaker cell tests. Moreover, the conductive networks of Co-NCNT/NP interconnected by nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNTs) can facilitate electron transport and electrolyte infiltration. Therefore, the specific capacity, rate capability, and cycle stability of Li-S batteries are significantly enhanced. As a result, the Co-NCNT/NP based cathode (loaded with 80 wt % sulfur) delivers a high discharge capacity of 1240 mAh g-1after 100 cycles at 0.1 C (based on the weight of sulfur), high rate capacity (755 mAh g-1at 2.0 C), and ultralong cycling life (a very low capacity decay of 0.026% per cycle over 1500 cycles at 1.0 C). Remarkably, the composite cathode with high areal sulfur loading of 3.2 mg cm-2shows high rate capacities and stable cycling performance over 200 cycles.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2536-4145
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Baorui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Guoyin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Renpeng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Lianbo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Hongling
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Yanrong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Zuoxiu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tie
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.
authors.forename: Zhong
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-8860-8579
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Mesoscopic Chemistry of MOE and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.|Department of Chemistry, Duke University , Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0451-6111
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: Lithium−sulfur batteries; carbon nanotube/nanopolyhedra superstructures; hierarchical micromesopores; polysulfide trapping