Sulfur Encapsulated in Mo₄O₁₁-Anchored Ultralight Graphene for High-Energy Lithium Sulfur Batteries

Abstract

Mo 4 O 11 nanoparticles were decorated onto ultralight graphene sheets (HRG) to form a Mo 4 O 11 /HRG precursor. Sulfur was then homogeneously dispersed onto the surface of Mo 4 O 11 /HRG by self-assembly from a sulfur/carbon disulfide solution to obtain a Mo 4 O 11 –HRG/S composite, which was used as the cathode material for a lithium sulfur battery. The morphologies and microstructures of the as-synthesized composites were characterized by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction/photoelectron spectroscopy. Mo 4 O 11 nanoparticles not only have a strong ability to adsorb to lithium polysulfides but also lead to a high Coulombic efficiency (96%). Furthermore, the incorporation of Mo 4 O 11 on graphene improves the utilization of sulfur and enhances the cycling stability and rate capability of a Li–S battery.