Exquisite hybridized electrocatalyst with moderate selenium element integration for reliable lithium-sulfur batteries.

Effective immobilization and catalytic conversion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) are crucial for enhancing lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery performance. To this end, a hybrid CoSe-CoO-Se@CNTs electrocatalyst was rationally designed, wherein CoO and CoSe synergistically promote LiPS adsorption and catalytic transformation, while CNTs provide a conductive framework to enhance sulfur utilization. Notably, the often-overlooked role of selenium was elucidated via in situ X-ray diffraction pattern revealing its active participation in charge-discharge reactions, which contributes to the stable cycling performance of Li-S batteries.

Engineering cobalt phosphide with anion vacancy and carbon shell for kinetically enhanced lithium-sulfur batteries.

The widespread adoption of lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) batteries is significantly hindered by the well-known "shuttle effect" and the sluggish conversion kinetics of sulfur species. In this study, cobalt phosphide (CoP) nanoparticles are engineered with phosphorus vacancies (P) and a carbon shell (CoP@C) to effectively anchor polysulfides (LiPSs) and promote their conversion. The introduction of P notably enhances the binding energy between CoP and LiPSs, facilitating the subsequent cleavage of the SS bond in the LiS molecule.