Reasonably Introduced ZnIn₂S₄@C to Mediate Polysulfide Redox for Long-Life Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Abstract

In consideration of the inferior rate performance and low sulfur utilization of lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs), an effective strategy via combining polar materials with the conductive carbon sulfur host is widely applied. Herein, metal organic framework-derived in situ-developed ZnIn2S4@C is innovatively synthesized to mediate lithium polysulfide (LPS) conversion based on high electron conductivity and strong chemical interactions for advanced LSBs. Polar ZnIn2S4 possesses strong chemisorption in keeping with the DFT calculation results and catalytic for LPSs, ensuring a high sulfur utilization. Meanwhile, the hollow non-polar carbon frame possessing hierarchical pores not only provides internal space to contain active species but also accommodates efficient electronic transferring and diffusion of lithium ions in the process of cycling. The above advantages make the electrode possess promising stability and good rate performances, achieving long-term and high-rate cycling. Thus, under a sulfur loading of 1.5 mg cm–2, after 500 cycles, at 2 and 5 C, the as-prepared ZnIn2S4@C@S delivers reversible capacities of 734 mA h g–1 (75.7% of the initial capacity with a dropping rate of 0.015% per cycle) and 504 mA h g–1 (68.5% of the primal capacity with a dropping rate of 0.029% per cycle), respectively. Even at a high sulfur loading of 5.0 mg cm–2, at 5 C, 65.6% of the initial capacity can be maintained with a low fading rate of 0.430% per cycle after 500 loops with a high Coulombic efficiency of around 99.8%.

A bifunctional VS2–Ti3C2 heterostructure electrocatalyst for boosting polysulfide redox in high performance lithium–sulfur batteries

“…Furthermore, the UV-Vis absorption spectrum of the VS 2 –Ti 3 C 2 soaked solution shows the weakest S 4 2− characteristic peak in the 410 nm region, while VS 2 and Ti 3 C 2 exhibit increasing characteristic peaks, indicating that most of the LiPSs are adsorbed by the VS 2 –Ti 3 C 2 heterostructure. 52 This also matches with the above adsorption experiment results. For in-depth research of the strong chemical interaction between the VS 2 –Ti 3 C 2 heterostructure and LiPSs, the XPS analysis of the VS 2 –Ti 3 C 2 heterostructure after soaking was carried out.…”

Atomic layer deposition triggered Fe-In-S cluster and gradient energy band in ZnInS photoanode for improved oxygen evolution reaction

“…The dipole correction is taken into account for all calculations. The stoichiometric 4 × 4 one-layer 112-atom ZIS (001) surface with 64 S atoms, 16 Zn atoms, and 32 In atoms is built using the ZnIn 2 S 4 unit cell 51 based on previous DFT calculations 52 – 54 , because the hexagonal ZnIn 2 S 4 has a sandwiched layered structure, and the layers are connected by van der Waals interaction. The interlayer interaction is rather weak that allows one to use a monolayer structure instead of a multi-layer model in the simulations 52 .…”

Recent Advances in Nanoscale Engineering of Ternary Metal Sulfide-Based Heterostructures for Photocatalytic Water Splitting Applications

“…Because of the inherent shortcomings of metal sulfides, the employment of S 2– -containing or other sacrificial reagents is essential to suppress the issues of photocorrosion. The photogenerated holes of metal sulfides would be consumed by S 2– from the sacrificial reagents instead of self-oxidation, which would eventually prevent undesired anodic photocorrosion of metal sulfides. , As the cutting-edge research of HER focuses on the sacrificial-free condition, recent interest has peaked in the revolutionary modification of ZnIn 2 S 4 to realize efficient overall water splitting from pure water. This is a crucial prerequisite prior to practical and large-scale H 2 generation application.…”