Enhancement of Organic Oxygen Atoms on Metal Cobalt for Sulfur Adsorption and Catalytic Polysulfide Conversion

Metals and their compounds effectively suppress the polysulfide shuttle effect on the cathodes of a lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery by chemisorbing polysulfides and catalyzing their conversion. However, S fixation on currently available cathode materials is below the requirements of large-scale practical application of this battery type. In this study, perylenequinone was utilized to improve polysulfide chemisorption and conversion on cobalt (Co)-containing Li–S battery cathodes. According to IGMH analysis, the binding energies of DPD and carbon materials as well as polysulfide adsorption were significantly enhanced in the presence of Co. According to in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, the hydroxyl and carbonyl groups in perylenequinone are able to form O–Li bonds with Li2Sn, facilitating chemisorption and catalytic conversion of polysulfides on metallic Co. The newly prepared cathode material demonstrated superior rate and cycling performances in the Li–S battery. It exhibited an initial discharge capacity of 780 mAh g–1 at 1 C and a minimum capacity decay rate of only 0.041% over 800 cycles. Even with a high S loading, the cathode material maintained an impressive capacity retention rate of 73% after 120 cycles at 0.2 C.