Configuring a O,S-doped carbon substrate as sulfur anchor for Li–S batteries.

Configuring a carbon substrate with low surface polarity seems very important and significant for accelerating the cathode electrochemical performances of the Lithium-sulfur batteries, which is widely regarded as one of the most promising candidates for the next-generation green energy suppliers. The corn starch-derived carbon with in-situ multi-elements doping, initially carbonized by 6 mol/L H 2 SO 4 and then calcined in nitrogen atmosphere, is employed to configure sulfur cathode for Lithium–Sulfur batteries in this study. As-received carbon with randomly distributed graphical domains serves as charge carriers diffusion channels during discharging/charging cycles, thus endowing the cathode considerable excellent performances. Specifically, the loading amount of sulfur in cathode is around 60.31 wt% and the effective utilization efficiency of active reagent sulfur in cathode is up to 60 %. On activating the cathode at 0.114 A g−1 at 0, 25 and 40 °C, the initial discharge capacities of the Lithium–Sulfur batteries with corn starch-derived carbon-based composite cathode (with ∼1.3 mg cm−2 sulfur) are 278.6, 1023.7 and 976.1 mAh∙g−1, respectively. Accordingly, more uniform, and thinner solid electrolyte interphase membrane formed under room temperature activation, leaving in the dramatically diminished R sur value, contributes to the comparable cycling stability and rate performances of as-designed carbon-based sulfur cathode for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]