Molybdenum‐Based Catalytic Materials for Li–S Batteries: Strategies, Mechanisms, and Prospects

Abstract

The ORCID identification number(s) for the author(s) of this article can be found under https://doi.org/10.1002/aesr.202200145.

Formation of 2D Amorphous Lithium Sulfide Enabled by Mo2C Clusters Loaded Carbon Scaffold for High‐Performance Lithium Sulfur Batteries

“…The redox reaction between dissolved LiPSs and solid lithium sulfide is responsible for 75% of the total capacity and therefore plays a dominant role in determining battery performance. [ 44 ] Evaluation of the deposited behavior of lithium sulfide on Mo 2 C@LCS is of great essential to rationalize the LiPSs conversion strategy. As shown in Figure a, the deposited morphology of lithium sulfide on the surface of 3D‐CS is officially reaching a large‐grain size of ≈10 µm in diameter.…”

Optimization of the Form Factors of Advanced Li‐S Pouch Cells

“…High surface area carbons and redox mediators like cobaltocene [ 48 ] enhance electrochemical performance, especially with ultra‐high sulfur content. The development of new host materials, particularly molybdenum‐based catalysts, [ 16 ] is crucial for reducing inactive material in the cathode and improving battery performance. However, scalability remains a challenge for the cost‐effective production of these materials.…”

“…Molybdenum‐based catalysts, such as sulfides, carbides, nitrides, and oxides, are being studied for their ability to convert LiPSs and suppress the shuttle effect, thereby improving battery performance. [ 16 ] Different types of molybdenum catalysts, such as MoS 2 nanosheets and heterostructures, that possess distinctive electronic properties and high electron conductivity lead to improved sulfur utilization and battery lifespan. Additionally, nitrogen‐doped Co 9 S 8 nanoparticles can lower activation barriers in catalytic reactions and provide stronger chemical anchoring for lithium polysulfides, resulting in significant improvements in battery performance.…”

Recent Advances in Transition‐Metal‐Based Catalytic Material for Room‐Temperature Sodium–Sulfur Batteries

“…Since the discovery of RT gel polymer electrolyte Na–S batteries in 2006, the development of RT Na–S batteries has accelerated significantly. [ 17,18 ] These batteries are similar to Li–S batteries, [ 19–22 ] the RT Na–S batteries consist of sodium anode, separator, sulfur cathode, and organic electrolyte; [ 23 ] and involve multi‐electron transfer and the formation of NaPSs during the electrochemical process (Figure 1b and Figure ). [ 24 ] However, before RT Na–S batteries can be widely used commercially, numerous obstacles need to be surmounted in both ether‐based (Figure 1b) and carbonate‐based (Figure 1c) electrolytes, particularly concerning the S cathode (the detailed mechanism for these challenges will be expounded upon in the subsequent section): 1) the S cathode experiences a significant volume expansion of 170% upon being fully converted to Na 2 S, which destroys the cathode structure and results in active material loss and fast capacity decay; [ 25,26 ] 2) the sluggish reaction kinetics resulting from the poor electrical conductivity of sulfur (10 −30 S cm −1 ) and its intermediates of Na 2 S 2 and Na 2 S must be addressed; [ 27 ] 3) the notorious dissolution of long‐chain NaPSs in the ether‐based electrolyte (“shuttling effect”) will result in the loss of active material, the corrosion of the Na anode, and low Coulombic efficiency (CE), for carbonate‐based electrolyte, the side reaction will occur between the NaPSs and the carbonate solvents due to the high nucleophilic activity.…”