A Supramolecular Complex of C<sub>60</sub>–S with High‐Density Active Sites as a Cathode for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Jingwei Xiang, Wangqiang Shen, Zezhou Guo, Jintao Meng, Lixia Yuan, Yi Zhang, Zexiao Cheng, Yue Shen, Xing Lü, Yunhui Huang
Abstract
Abstract The well‐known “shuttle effect” of the intermediate lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and low sulfur utilization hinder the practical application of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. Herein, we describe a novel C 60 –S supramolecular complex with high‐density active sites for LiPS adsorption that was formed by a simple one‐step process as a cathode material for Li–S batteries. Benefiting from the cocrystal structure, 100 % of the C 60 molecules in the complex can offer active sites to adsorb LiPSs and catalyze their conversion. Furthermore, the lithiated C 60 cores promote internal ion transport inside the composite cathode. At a low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 5 μL mg −1 , the C 60 –S cathode with a sulfur loading of 4 mg cm −2 exhibited a high capacity of 809 mAh g −1 (3.2 mAh cm −2 ). The development of the C 60 –S supramolecular complex will inspire the invention of a new family of S/fullerenes as cathodes for high‐performance Li–S batteries and extend the application of fullerenes.