Ferromagnetic and defect-rich Fe3O4-CC nanowires regulating Li2S deposition for stable lithium-sulfur batteries

Abstract

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with superior energy storage capabilities, stand out as the next-generation battery technology surpassing conventional lithium batteries. Unfortunately, the sluggish kinetics of the sulfur reaction and the uncontrollable deposition of insulated Li₂S significantly limit the efficiency of the battery. In this work, a morphology control method was employed to modulate the intrinsic properties of iron oxide catalyst and accelerate the LiPSs conversion kinetics. The uniform distributed nanowire provides abundant nucleation sites for the effective deposition of 3D Li₂S, providing high sulfur utilization and stable Li-S battery. In the action of intrinsic magnetic forces, the Fe₃O₄-CC fastens the redox reaction and alleviates the shuttle of LiPSs. The optimized Fe₃O₄-CC@S cathode exhibits high-capacity (5.9 mAh/cm²) with a high mass loading (5.6 mg/cm²) at 0.1C, as well as good cycle performance. This study highlights a novel strategy to stimulate high catalytic activity to enhance the conversion reaction of LiPSs, promoting the practical use of Li-S batteries as next-generation energy storage.