Immobilizing Polysulfides with MXene-Functionalized Separators for Stable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Abstract

Lithium-sulfur batteries have attracted increasing attention as one of the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems. However, the poor cycling performance and the low utilization of sulfur greatly hinder its practical applications. Here we report the improved performance of lithium-sulfur batteries by coating Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanosheets (where T stands for the surface termination, such as -O, -OH, and/or -F) on commercial "Celgard" membrane. In favor of the ultrathin two-dimensional structure, the Ti₃C₂T_x MXene can form a uniform coating layer with a minimum mass loading of 0.1 mg cm^-2 and a thickness of only 522 nm. Owing to the improved electric conductivity and the effective trapping of polysulfides, the lithium-sulfur batteries with MXene-functionalized separators exhibit superior performance including high specific capacities and cycling stability.