Reveal the Influence of Conductive Carbon on Sulfur Crystallization: Key to High-Performance Aqueous Zinc–Sulfur Batteries

Aqueous zinc–sulfur batteries (AZSBs) are emerging as high-energy-density batteries due to the high capacity of sulfur-based cathodes. However, sulfur suffers from poor conductivity and sluggish reaction kinetics. Therefore, conductive carbons were employed as additives to enhance conductivity and hosts to encapsulate sulfur, thereby improving the reaction kinetics and cycle stability. This work reveals the critical role of conductive carbon in sulfur crystallization and its impact on AZSBs’ performance. Amorphous sulfur with uniform distribution in S@Ketjen black (S@KB), unlike high crystallinity and aggregation in others, results in the best electrochemical performance, demonstrating higher capacity, enhanced reaction kinetics, and long-cycle stability.