Novel Nanosized Adsorbing Composite Cathode Materials for the Next Generational Lithium Battery

A novel carbon-sulfur nano-composite material was synthesized by heating sublimed sulfur and high surface area activated carbon (HSAAC) under certain conditions. The physical and chemical performances of the novel carbon-sulfur nano-composite were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical performances of nano-composite were characterized by charge-discharge characteristic, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impendence spectroscopy (EIS). The experimental results indicate that the electrochemical capability of nano-composite material was superior to that of traditional S-containing composite material. The cathode made by carbon-sulfur nano-composite material shows a good cycle ability and a high specific charge-discharge capacity. The HSAAC shows a vital role in adsorbing sublimed sulfur and the polysulfides within the cathode and is an excellent electric conductor for a sulfur cathode and prevents the shuttle behavior of the lithium-sulfur battery.