Investigating the Electrocatalysis of a Ti₃C₂/Carbon Hybrid in Polysulfide Conversion of Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Abstract

Despite the fact that lithium-sulfur batteries are regarded as promising next-generation rechargeable battery systems owning to high theoretical specific capacity (1675 mA h g^-1) and energy density (2600 W h kg^-1), several issues such as poor electrical conductivity, sluggish redox kinetics, and severe "shuttle effect" in electrodes still hinder their practical application. MXenes, novel two-dimensional materials with high conductivity, regulable interlayer spacing, and abundant functional groups, are widely applied in energy storage and conversion fields. In this work, a Ti₃C₂/carbon hybrid with expanded interlayer spacing is synthesized by one-step heat treatment in molten potassium hydroxide. The subsequent experiments indicate that the as-prepared Ti₃C₂/carbon hybrid can effectively regulate polysulfide redox conversion and has strong chemisorption interaction to polysulfides. Consequently, the Ti₃C₂/carbon-based sulfur cathode boosts the performance in working lithium-sulfur batteries, in terms of an ultrahigh initial discharge capacity (1668 mA h g^-1 at 0.1 C), an excellent rate performance (520 mA h g^-1 at 5 C), and an outstanding capacity retention of 530 mA h g^-1 after 500 cycles at 1 C with a low capacity fade rate of 0.05% per cycle and stable Coulombic efficiency (nearly 99%). The above results indicate that this composite with high catalytic activity is a potential host material for further high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries.