Nitrogen doped multistage porous carbon for enhancing the adsorption-catalytic conversion of polysulfides in Li–S batteries

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 649; p. 159115
• Main Authors: Zeng, Shuaibo, Chen, Ye, Zeng, Haorong, Xu, Wei, Hu, Qianqian, Ouyang, Jian, Wang, Xiaojun, Hong, Zijian, Hong, Ye
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.03.2024
• Subjects: 3D multistage porous carbon; Electrochemical performance; High catalytic ability; N-doping; High catalytic ability; Electrochemical performance; N-doping; 3D multistage porous carbon
• ISSN: 0169-4332; 1873-5584
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2023.159115

The N-doped multistage porous carbon (MPC) was employed as an efficient sulfur host for regulating the adsorption-catalytic conversion of polysulfides. Benefiting from the synergy of strong adsorption and enhanced catalytic conversion of polysulfides, as well as multistage porous structure, the MPC@S cathode improved significantly the electrochemical stability of the Li–S batteries. [Display omitted] •Nitrogen doped Multistage porous carbon were prepared as a novel sulfur host.•Pyrrolic N-doped MPC is more able to inhibit the diffusion of Li2S8.•MPC@S cathode exhibit superior electrochemical stability. Lithium-sulfur (Li–S) batteries are regarded as promising next-generation electrochemical energy-storage devices owing to their high theoretical capacity of 1672 mAh/g for sulfur and high energy density of 2600 Wh kg−1. However, severe active sulfur losing and capacity fading originated from “shuttle effect” restrict their practical applications. Herein, nitrogen doped multistage porous carbon (denoted as MPC) was prepared as a novel sulfur host for Li–S batteries. Our strategies for the shuttle effect inhibition consist of three parts as described below, including accelerating conversion of lithium polysulfides by N-doping, blocking the shuttle channels by MPC, and enhancing adsorbability from MPC to lithium polysulfides. Expectantly, the Li–S batteries with the MPC@S cathode show high specific capacity of 508 mAh/g after 505 cycles when the sulfur loading is as high as 3.80 mg cm−2.