MnO Modified Porous Carbon with Improved Adsorption Capability and Promoted Redox Kinetics in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are recognized as one of the most promising next-generation battery systems. However, the severe shuttle effect poses a crucial challenge for its large scale application. Herein, through simple freeze-drying and subsequently annealing, the MnO was utilized to modify porous carbon and thereby form stable bond order toward lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), thus inhibiting the shuttle effect. Besides, the MnO nanoparticles can increase the reaction sites, accelerate the kinetic conversion of LiPSs, facilitate the formation and decomposition of Li2S during discharging and charging. Benefit from the merits of MnO mentioned above together with the physical confinement derived from porous carbon, the Li-S battery assembled with S@MnO-C cathode delivers excellent performance both in rate capacity and long-cycling, with a high capacity of 555 mAh g(-1) after 200 cycles at 0.3 C. This work broadens the potential and enlightens the strategy for designing efficient cathodes toward Li-S sulfur batteries.