Improving aqueous lithium-sulfur battery efficiency through tuned sulfur@hydroxyl functionalized graphene nanocomposites

• Published in: Diamond and related materials Vol. 148; p. 111512
• Main Authors: Gohari, Salimeh, Tokur, Mahmud, Yaftian, Mohammad Reza, Akbulut, Hatem
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Aqueous electrolyte; Capillary filling; Cyclic stability; Lithium‑sulfur battery; Sulfur@ hydroxyl functionalized graphene nanocomposite; Cyclic stability; Capillary filling; Aqueous electrolyte; Sulfur@ hydroxyl functionalized graphene nanocomposite; Lithium‑sulfur battery
• ISSN: 0925-9635
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2024.111512

The potential for aqueous lithium-sulfur batteries to outperform conventional lithium-ion batteries in terms of energy density, affordability, safety, and environmental friendliness makes them desirable. To improve the efficiency of aqueous lithium-sulfur batteries, sulfur/hydroxyl functionalized graphene (S@G-OH) nanocomposites were made. S@G-OH nanocomposites were created using the capillary filling technique and sonication, and then electrochemical testing was used to assess how well they performed as anodes in rechargeable lithium-sulfur batteries. With initial discharge capacities of 1518 mA h g−1 and 649 mAh g−1 (depending on sulfur concentration) at 0.5C and 5C, respectively, the optimized S@G-OH/50 nanocomposite electrode demonstrated remarkable electrochemical performance. It was noteworthy that it retained 87.69 % of its capacity after 10,000 cycles at 5C. This performance is explained by the nanostructure's capacity to seize polysulfides, preserve the volume balance of sulfur throughout cycling, and thwart the dissolution of long-chain polysulfides in the aqueous electrolyte. The commercialization of aqueous lithium-sulfur batteries appears to have brilliant prospects based on these studies. [Display omitted] •The presence of a G-OH shell effectively prevented the dissolution of LPSs.•The low solubility of LPSs in aqueous electrolytes prevented the shuttle effect.•The nanocomposite's inner cavity balanced sulfur volume expansion.