Rechargeable Aluminium–Sulfur Battery with Improved Electrochemical Performance by Cobalt‐Containing Electrocatalyst

Abstract

Abstract The rechargeable aluminium–sulfur (Al–S) battery is regarded as a potential alternative beyond lithium‐ion battery system owing to its safety, promising energy density, and the high earth abundance of the constituent electrode materials, however, sluggish kinetic response and short life‐span are the major issues that limit the battery development towards applications. In this article, we report Co II,III as an electrochemical catalyst in the sulfur cathode that renders a reduced discharge–charge voltage hysteresis and improved capacity retention and rate capability for Al–S batteries. The structural and electrochemical analysis suggest that the catalytic effect of Co II,III is closely associated with the formation of cobalt sulfides and the changes in the valence states of the Co II,III during the electrochemical reactions of the sulfur species, which lead to improved reaction kinetics and sulfur utilization in the cathode. The Al–S battery, assembled with the cathode consisting of Co II,III decorated carbon matrix, demonstrates a considerably reduced voltage hysteresis of 0.8 V, a reversible specific capacity of ≈500 mAh g −1 at 1 A g −1 after 200 discharge–charge cycles and of ≈300 mAh g −1 at 3 A g −1 .