Recent Advances in Molybdenum-Based Materials for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Abstract

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries as power supply systems possessing a theoretical energy density of as high as 2600 Wh kg−1 are considered promising alternatives toward the currently used lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the insulation characteristic and huge volume change of sulfur, the generation of dissolvable lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) during charge/discharge, and the uncontrollable dendrite formation of Li metal anodes render Li-S batteries serious cycling issues with rapid capacity decay. To address these challenges, extensive efforts are devoted to designing cathode/anode hosts and/or modifying separators by incorporating functional materials with the features of improved conductivity, lithiophilic, physical/chemical capture ability toward LiPSs, and/or efficient catalytic conversion of LiPSs. Among all candidates, molybdenum-based (Mo-based) materials are highly preferred for their tunable crystal structure, adjustable composition, variable valence of Mo centers, and strong interactions with soluble LiPSs. Herein, the latest advances in design and application of Mo-based materials for Li-S batteries are comprehensively reviewed, covering molybdenum oxides, molybdenum dichalcogenides, molybdenum nitrides, molybdenum carbides, molybdenum phosphides, and molybdenum metal. In the end, the existing challenges in this research field are elaborately discussed.

Wet‐Chemistry: A Useful Tool for Deriving Metal–Organic Frameworks toward Supercapacitors and Secondary Batteries

“…Owing to their superior theoretical capacity of 1675 mAh g −1 and energy density of 2600 Wh k g −1 , LSBs hold the potential to fulfill the demand of 500 kilometers per charge for practical applications in electric vehicles, which corresponds to an energy density of 500-600 Wh kg −1 . [166][167][168] Zhang et al modified the separator with amorphous MIL-88 nanoprisms which were transformed from their crystal counterparts via a ligand exchange method (Figure 14a). [169] It was found that 2-MeIM can substitute amino terephthalate and the subsequent hydroxylation promoted the release of organic ligands, resulting in the amorphization of MIL-88 crystals.…”

In situ tailored strategy to remove capping agents from copper sulfide for building better lithium–sulfur batteries

“…Capping agent-based synthetic methods are widely used in the field of catalysis, which has powered the development of artificial fertilizers, solar cells, high-strength polymers, electrocatalysis, and alkali metal–sulfur/oxygen batteries. 1–9 In a colloidal synthesis process, 10,11 long-chain capping agents inhibit the aggregation and overgrowth of catalyst materials at the nanoscale, and modulate the structural characteristics of crystal facets via precise interfacial tailoring. 10 Specifically, the functionalized surface of catalysts plays a crucial role in lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries during redox reactions of soluble polysulfides on the interface, 12–14 where better performance depends on utilization and anchoring of migratory polysulfides on the cathode.…”

Co2V2O7@Ti3C2Tx MXene Hollow Structures Synergizing the Merits of Conversion and Intercalation for Efficient Lithium Ion Storage

“…The energy crisis and environmental pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels urgently require researchers to develop green and efficient energy storage systems. [1] Among various candidates, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been well commercialized and applied as the dominating charge storage devices in the market owing to their relatively higher energy density in Therefore, it is reasonably speculated that combining nanostructure design and heterogeneous hybridization takes a good chance to make full use of both conversion-type and intercalation-based anode materials. Nevertheless, it lacks suitable synthetic strategy due to the poor thermal/chemical stability of MXene and the electrostatic repulsive force between MXene and TMOs originated from the similar negatively charged surfaces.…”

“…The energy crisis and environmental pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels urgently require researchers to develop green and efficient energy storage systems. [ 1 ] Among various candidates, lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) have been well commercialized and applied as the dominating charge storage devices in the market owing to their relatively higher energy density in comparison with aqueous‐based secondary batteries. [ 2,3 ] However, the ever‐increasing demands of energy storage and supply systems are driven by the rapid development of portable/wearable electronics are severely limited by the low theoretical capacity of the commonly used graphite anode.…”