Biomass Derived Nitrogen-Doped Highly Porous Carbon Material with a Hierarchical Porous Structure for High-Performance Lithium/Sulfur Batteries

• Published in: Materials Vol. 10; no. 10; p. 1158
• Main Authors: Zhao, Yan, Zhang, Xiaomin, He, Yusen, Liu, Ning, Tan, Taizhe, Liang, Chunyong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 06.10.2017; MDPI
• Subjects: Carbon; Carbonization; Electrochemical analysis; hierarchical porous structure; layered structure; Lithium sulfur batteries; mesoporous; nitrogen-doped; Porous materials; Structural hierarchy; Sulfur content; hierarchical porous structure; lithium/sulfur batteries; nitrogen-doped; mesoporous; layered structure
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma10101158

A novel nitrogen doped mesoporous carbon (NMPC) with a hierarchical porous structure is prepared by simple carbonizing the green algae, which is applied as a host material to encapsulate sulfur for lithium/sulfur (Li/S) battery. The NMPC exhibits high pore volume as well as large specific surface area, and thus sulfur content in the S/NMPC composite reaches up to 63 wt %. When tested in a Li/S battery, the S/NMPC composite yields a high initial capacity of 1327 mAh·g as well as 757 mAh·g after 100 cycles at a current rate of 0.1 C, a reversible capacity of 642 was achieved even at 1 C. This good electrochemical performance of the S/NMPC composite could be attributed to a unique combination of mesopority and surface chemistry, allowing for the retention of the intermediate polysuflides within the carbon framework.