Novel Flower-like Nickel Sulfide as an Efficient Electrocatalyst for Non-aqueous Lithium-Air Batteries

Abstract

In this paper, metal sulfide materials have been explored for the first time as a new choice of bifunctional cathode electrocatalyst materials for non-aqueous lithium-air batteries (LABs). Nickel sulfides with two different morphologies of flower-like (f-NiS) and rod-like (r-NiS) are successfully synthesized using a hydrothermal method with and without the assistance of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide. As LAB cathode catalysts, both f-NiS and r-NiS demonstrate excellent catalytic activities towards the formation and decomposition of Li2O2, resulting in improved specific capacity, reduced overpotentials and enhanced cycling performance when compared to those of pure Super P based electrode. Moreover, the morphology of NiS materials can greatly affect LAB performance. Particularly, the f-NiS is more favorable than r-NiS in terms of their application in LABs. When compared to both r-NiS and pure super P materials as LAB cathode materials, this f-NiS catalyst material can give the highest capacity of 6733 mA h g−1 and the lowest charge voltage of 4.24 V at the current density of 75 mA g−1 and also exhibit an quite stable cycling performance.

Electrochemically Fabricated Ni−P, Ni−S and Ni−Se Materials for Overall Water Splitting: Investigating the Concept of Bifunctional Electrocatalysis

“…The peak at around 50.4 for the (103) plane can be seen as an overlaid peak with the underlying ITO substrate. Two minor peaks were found in the XRD spectrum of the NiS x sample after the OER at 2θ=32.2 and 37.2 which can be indexed as the (101) and (111) planes of crystalline NiS (JCPDS 12‐0041) and NiO respectively (ICDD file number 47‐1049). The generation of a crystalline material from an amorphous precursor as a result of the OER has been observed previously for FeCoNiO x .…”

Bi2S3/Ketjen Black as a Highly Efficient Bifunctional Catalyst for Long‐Cycle Lithium‐Oxygen Batteries

“…To investigate the catalytic performance of Bi 2 S 3 /KB hybrid, Li−O 2 batteries were cycled under different conditions at 2.0–4.5 V. Initially, the cyclic voltammetry (CV) test was employed to check the catalytic performance of Bi 2 S 3 /KB, Bi 2 S 3 and KB for ORR/OER. As depicted in Figure a, compared with bare Bi 2 S 3 and KB, the Bi 2 S 3 /KB hybrid not only demonstrates a more positive ORR peak potential and a more negative OER peak potential, but also presents the higher ORR and OER peak currents, suggesting the better ORR and OER catalytic activity of Bi 2 S 3 /KB than those of bare Bi 2 S 3 and KB . The bare Bi 2 S 3 shows a better catalytic ability than bare KB, although it shows a low current density due to its relatively low electrical conductivity.…”

Dual Heteroatom‐Doped Carbon Nanofoam‐Wrapped Iron Monosulfide Nanoparticles: An Efficient Cathode Catalyst for Li–O2 Batteries

“…[13][14][15][16] In particular,i nn onaqueousL i-air batteries, tremendousefforts have been made to design variousbifunctional catalysts to reducec harge and discharge overpotential in ether-based electrolytes, such as carbonaceous materials, precious and nonprecious metals, transition-metal oxides, metalorganic frameworks, and other hybrid materials. [4,14,[20][21][22][23] Transition-metal mono-and disulfides (TMSs) with odd electronic properties, unique structuralc hemistry,a nd rich intercalation chemistry have emerged as the most promising electrocatalysts for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, water oxidation,z inc-air batteries, and deinsertion/insertion materials for Li-ion battery applications. [11] Unfortunately,t he prohibitivec ost and scarcity of preciousm etals have limited their practical applications.…”

“…[11] Unfortunately,t he prohibitivec ost and scarcity of preciousm etals have limited their practical applications. [23,28] Recently, Zhang andc o-workersr eported the bifunctionala ctivity of nickel sulfide (NiS) with the highest capacityo f6 733 mA hg À1 and al ow charge voltage of 4.24 Va t7 5mAg À1 in Li-air battery studies. using nonprecious metals, noble-metal-free transition-metal chalcogens (based on oxides and sulfides), and metal carbides/nitrides remains challenging.…”

“…[9] Hence,t he exploitation of catalysts to promote the exclusive formation/decomposition of Li 2 O 2 and suppress the formationo fo ther lithium compounds (Li 2 CO 3 ,L iOH, etc.) [23] Notably,i ron sulfides commercially used in lithium primary batteries, with attractive features such as cost-effectiveness, natural abundance,a nd environmental inertness, Cost-effective dual heteroatom-doped 3D carbon nanofoamwrapped FeS nanoparticles (NPs), FeS-C,a ct as efficient bifunctional catalysts for Li-O 2 batteries. [4,14,[20][21][22][23] Transition-metal mono-and disulfides (TMSs) with odd electronic properties, unique structuralc hemistry,a nd rich intercalation chemistry have emerged as the most promising electrocatalysts for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, water oxidation,z inc-air batteries, and deinsertion/insertion materials for Li-ion battery applications.…”