High Performance of Sulfur/Carbon Cathode Synthesized via a Facile Green Microwave Approach

Sulfur has a specific capacity of 1675 mAh.g(-1) as a lithium battery cathode, but its rapid capacity decay due to the migration of dissolved polysulfides presents a major challenge for commercialization. Most approaches in the past few decades have focused on impregnating sulfur into a carbon host via various harsh, time-consuming, and costly carbonization techniques. In this context, sublimed sulfur is introduced into a commercial carbon via microwave treatment in minutes for the first time. The formation of chemical bonding between sulfur and carbon induced by microwave irradiation is proven by thermogravimetric, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical analyses. When being cycled at 0.2 C, the resulting composites with 55.5 wt % sulfur loading exhibit 912 and 531 mAh.g(-1) in the 1st and the 600th cycles, respectively, corresponding to a fairly low fading rate of about 0.07%.cycle(-1). This convenient, cheap, and green route shortens the synthesis process, lowers the cost, and stands for an advancement for potential large-scale industrialization.

Automated summary

The study successfully improved the performance of lithium batteries by introducing sublimed sulfur into a commercial carbon via microwave treatment, which induced chemical bonding between sulfur and carbon. The convenient, low-cost, and green route shortened the synthesis process and provided an advancement for potential large-scale industrialization.