Abstract
The rechargeable aluminum-sulfur (Al-S) battery is a promising alternative-energy storage device with high energy density and made of cheap raw materials. However, Al-S batteries face several obstacles, especially the shuttle effect. Herein, a binder-free S@Ti3C2Tx sandwich structure film with uniform sulfur dispersion was designed. The two-dimensional (2D) layered material Ti3C2Tx not only has the function of binder and conductive agent but also is a promising host for sulfur anchoring. As a result, S@Ti3C2Tx film showed an initial capacity of 489 mA h g−1 at 300 mA g−1 and retained the value at 415 mA h g−1 after 280 stable cycles, with an average Coulombic efficiency of ∼95%. The film displayed higher capacity and stability than the S + Ti3C2Tx cathode prepared by the slurry-coating method (the initial capacity was 317 mA h g−1 and then decayed to 222 mA h g−1 after 160 cycles). The main capacity of S@Ti3C2Tx film in the Al-S battery came from the reversible redox reaction of S2− and S. This new 2D material combined with a controllable electrode structure design paves the way for the development of Al-S batteries.
摘要
铝硫二次电池是一种具有高能量密度、 廉价原材料、 有前途的替代储能装置. 然而, 铝硫电池面临着一些障碍, 尤其是穿梭效应. 本工作设计了一种硫分散均匀的无粘结剂S@Ti3C2Tx三明治结构薄膜. 二维层状材料Ti3C2Tx不仅具有粘结剂和导电剂的功能, 而且是一种很有前途的硫锚定载体. S@Ti3C2Tx膜在300 mA g−1时显示出初始容量为489 mA h g−1, 并在280圈稳定循环后保持为415 mA h g−1, 平均库仑效率约为95%. 该薄膜的容量和稳定性均高于采用浆料涂覆法制备的S + Ti3C2Tx正极(初始容量为317 mA h g−1, 循环160圈后衰减为222 mA h g−1). S@Ti3C2Tx膜在铝硫电池中的容量主要来源于S2−和S之间的可逆氧化还原反应. 这种新颖的二维材料与可控的电极结构设计相结合, 为铝硫电池的发展铺平了道路.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51272155, 21875061, 21975066 and 21901157), the Open Research Fund Program of Science and Technology on Aerospace Chemical Power Laboratory (STACPL 120201B05), and the National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFC2100100).
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Author contributions Zheng X and Wei L designed the project; Zheng X performed the main experiments and drafted the manuscript; Wang Z and Li J conducted the theoretical calculation. All authors participated in the manuscript revision.
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Xiao Zheng received his master’s degree from the Central South University. He is currently a PhD candidate at the School of Electronics Information and Electrical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). His current research interest mainly focuses on the development of new materials for multivalent battery system.
Jinjin Li received her PhD degree from SJTU. She is now a professor at SJTU and core director of the Artificial Intelligence and Micro Structure Laboratory (AIMS-Lab). Her current research interests include the first-principles calculations and machine learning modelling for structure/property prediction of energy materials, structural design of lithium batteries/self-healing lithium battery with highperformance.
Liangming Wei obtained his PhD degree from Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2004, and then became an assistant professor and associated professor in 2004 and 2007 at SJTU. He is currently a professor at SJTU. His research interests include preparation of novel energetic materials and energy storage materials for batteries.
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Zheng, X., Wang, Z., Li, J. et al. Binder-free S@Ti3C2Tx sandwich structure film as a high-capacity cathode for a stable aluminum-sulfur battery. Sci. China Mater. 65, 1463–1475 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-021-1913-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-021-1913-4