Exploiting methylated amino resin as a multifunctional binder for high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries

The practical application of Li–S batteries is severely restricted by limited cycle life and low sulfur loading. Here, a common industrial paint, methylated amino resin (MAR), was employed as a novel multifunctional binder to address these issues. The S cathodes by using MAR binder (S@MAR) demonstrate an excellent reversible capacity of 480.9 mA·h·g−1 after 400 cycles at a rate of 0.5 C, and the sulfur loading in the electrode could achieve as high as 3.0 mg·cm−2. These achievements are ascribed to the superior mechanical property for volume expansion, better adsorption ability toward polysulfides, and more favorable Li+ transportation of MAR, compared to the conventional binders of polyvinylidene difluoride and carboxymethylcellulose. This study paves a new way for obtaining high-energy-density Li–S batteries by the simple application of multifunctional binder that are inherently cost-effective.