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Highly dispersed sulfur in multi-walled carbon nanotubes for lithium/sulfur battery

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Abstract

A facile method is developed for homogeneous dispersion of sulfur (S) nanoparticles in multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The process involves the modification of MWCNTs via oxidation catalyzed by acid and the introduction of sulfur nanoparticles into the MWCNTs through direct precipitation. The resulting sample (precipitated S/MWCNTs) is characterized with scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, and its performance as cathode of lithium/sulfur battery is investigated with a comparison of the sample prepared by ball-milling (ball-milling S/MWCNTs). It is found that the precipitated S/MWCNTs exhibit better battery performance than the ball-milling S/MWCNTs. The initial discharge capacity is 1,299 mA h g−1 for the precipitated S/MWCNTs but only 839 mA h g−1 for ball-milling S/MWCNTs at 0.02 C. The capacity remains 800 mA h g−1 for the precipitated S/MWCNTs but only 620 mA h g−1 for ball-milling S/MWCNTs at 0.05 C after 50 cycles. The better performance of the precipitated S/MWCNTs results from the improved uniformity of S dispersed in MWCNTs through precipitation.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are highly grateful for the financial support from by the joint project of National Natural Science Foundation of China and Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (grant no. U1134002), Natural Science Fund of Guangdong Province (grant no. 10351063101000001), and the joint project of Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education for the Cooperation among Industries, Universities and Institutes (grant no. 2011B090400627).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Xiuyu Geng, Mumin Rao, Xiaoping Li & Weishan Li

  2. Key Laboratory of Electrochemical Technology on Energy Storage and Power Generation of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Xiaoping Li & Weishan Li

  3. Engineering Research Center of Materials and Technology for Electrochemical Energy Storage (Ministry of Education), South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Xiaoping Li & Weishan Li

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  1. Xiuyu Geng
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  2. Mumin Rao
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  3. Xiaoping Li
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Correspondence to Weishan Li.

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Geng, X., Rao, M., Li, X. et al. Highly dispersed sulfur in multi-walled carbon nanotubes for lithium/sulfur battery. J Solid State Electrochem 17, 987–992 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-012-1959-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-012-1959-1

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