Ti_4O_7 as conductive additive in sulfur and graphene-sulfur cathodes for high-performance Lithium-sulfur batteries with a facile preparation method

Lithium-sulfur batteries have significant potential to be applied in next-generation energy storage systems. However, polysulfide dissolution and redeposition have contributed to poor cycling stability, low sulfur utilization, and poor rate performance, thereby limiting their practical applications. Herein, we used a sol-gel method to fabricate a Ti_4O_7 conductive metal oxide, which was partially added to a Lithium-sulfur battery cathode. The results demonstrated that the addition of 7.5 wt% to 10 wt% Ti_4O_7 as the conductive additive resulted in a better rate capability and reversible cycling performance owing to its high electronic conductivity and surface adsorption of polysulfides. Compared to complex architectures and complicated synthesis methods, we report a more effective way to overcome the drawbacks of Lithium-sulfur batteries. Graphical abstract