Engineering Vertically Aligned MoS 2 Nanosheets on Porous Carbon Support for Accelerated Reaction Kinetics in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

The performance of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries is constrained by cathodes with insufficient active sites and slow mass transport, aggravating the polysulfide shuttle and sluggish kinetics. Herein, we design a cathode host by vertically growing MoS 2 ultrathin nanosheets on porous carbon nanosheets (CNS). This unique architecture serves a dual purpose: the MoS 2 nanosheets maximize active site exposure for robust lithium polysulfide (LiPS) chemisorption, while the vertical alignment, coupled with the porous carbon support, establishes rapid pathways for mass transfer. These synergistic effects collectively enhance the redox kinetics and suppress the shuttle effect. As a result, the MoS 2 –CNS/S cathode delivers a high initial capacity (1187.9 mAh g –1 at 0.5 C) and exceptional stability (0.059% decay per cycle over 1000 cycles at 2 C). With a high sulfur loading of 4.75 mg cm –2, the catalyst maintains 97.3% capacity after 200 cycles. This work demonstrates an effective architectural strategy to enhance active site exposure and mass transfer concurrently, leading to improved catalytic reaction kinetics and cycling stability for advanced Li–S batteries.