Polymeric coating on the separator with effective polysulfides diffusion inhibition can provide intimate contact between intermediate polysulfides and conductive layer of separator for high-energy lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Herein, polyacrylonitrile-poly (1,5-diaminoanthraquinone) (PAN/PDAAQ) and PAN-potassium functionalized graphene (PAN/K-FGF) nanofibers are synthesized via electrospinning method and act as effective separators for Li-S batteries to minimize polysulfides diffusion toward the anode. PAN/K-FGF coated separator shows capacity retention of 768 mAh g −1 after 100 cycles at 1C. The capacity maintains at 419 mAh g −1 after 500 cycles. PAN/PDAAQ nanofibers are coated on glass fiber separator functions as physical and chemical barrier for polysulfides diffusion. Therefore, the cell with PAN/PDAAQ coating on the separator demonstrates capacity retention of 881 mAh g −1 after 100 cycles at 1C and small capacity decay rate of 0.11% per cycle resulted in 800 cycles at 1C. PAN/PDAAQ could define as an ideal separator material for Li-S batteries.
Sulfur-hosting novel materials as a cathode for lithium-sulfur batteries are in the focus of many research to enhance the specific capacity and cycling stability. Herein, we developed composite cathodes consisting of polycarboxylate functionalized graphene (PC-FGF) doped with TiO
2
nanoparticles or poly1,5-diaminoanthraquinone (PDAAQ) and sulfur to enhance chemisorption property toward polysulfides. Additionally, PC-FGF/sulfur composite cathode functions as an efficient trapping site for polysulfides spices as well as contributes to facilitate electron and Li-ions movement toward or from the cathode. In the first experiment, the cell with sulfur incorporated TiO
2
/PC-FGF cathode is assembled with three different cathode-facing side-coated glass fiber separators. At the second test, PDAAQ/PC-FGF cathode is assembled with the same separator materials as before.
The best electrochemical performance observed was sulfur incorporated TiO
2
/PC-FGF cathode with PDAAQ/PC-FGF-coated separator having a high discharge capacity of 1100 mAh g
− 1
at 0.5 C after 100 cycles. It is found that the combination of TiO
2
/PC-FGF/sulfur cathode and PDAAQ/PC-FCF separator could serve as promising cathode and separator material due to high cycling stability and rate capability for advanced Li-S batteries.
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