B4C nanoskeleton enabled, flexible lithium-sulfur batteries

• Published in: Nano energy 2019-04, Vol.58, p.30-39
• Main Authors: Song, Ningning, Gao, Zan, Zhang, Yunya, Li, Xiaodong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boron carbide; Hierarchical structure; Lithium sulfur battery; Nanowires; Reduced graphene oxide
• ISSN: 2211-2855
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.01.018

Wise selection of host materials and judicious design of electrodes are critical for constructing high-performance energy storage devices. Here we report an unusual cathode configuration for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries employing B4C nanowires (BC-NWs) as a skeleton, porous activated cotton textile (ACT) as a flexible carbon scaffold, and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a self-adaptive protective shell. This BC-NWs@ACT/S/rGO cathode achieved superlative sulfur confinement and electrochemical performance with excellent cycling stability (over 1000 cycles at a high current density of 1.5 mA/cm2), an ultralow capacity decay rate (0.056% per cycle) and remarkable capacities at a wide range of discharging rate from 0.1 to 1.5 mA/cm2, demonstrating its potential to achieve high capacity and long cycle life simultaneously in Li-S batteries. [Display omitted] •Well-designed flexible, free-standing cathode (BC-NWs@ACT/S/rGO) for Li-S batteries.•Exhibited excellent cycling stability, low capacity decay and high rate capability.•Assembled BC-NWs@ACT/S/rGO cathode into a lightweight and foldable Li-S battery.•Investigated role of BC-NWs and rGO in Li-S cell by experiments and simulations.