Abstract
Lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) are favored for their high theoretical energy capacity and low production costs. However, their wide applications are currently challenged by the polysulfide shuttle effect and slow redox reactions resulting from the poor polysulfides immobilization-conversion kinetics in the sulfur cathodes. In this work, the heterostructure Mn Clusters/N-doped Carbon Foams composite catalyst was prepared by using the molten NaCl as template. The optimal electrode sample exhibited the improved chemisorption and catalytic conversion of the polysulfides. Sequentially, the polysulfide shuttle effect and volume expansion during the reaction were effectively alleviated. As a result, the assembled sulfur electrode achieved a discharge specific capacity of 505.8 mA h g−1 after 300 cycles at 1 C with an average capacity decay rate of only 0.065 % per cycle.
•Preparation of a highly dispersed Heterostructured Mn Clusters/N-doped Carbon Foams.•PNC-Mnx plays a dual role in adsorption and catalysis of lithium polysulfide.•It shows excellent electrochemical stability at large rate.