Catalytic Conversion of Ni12P5 in Situ on the Surface of Carbon Nanotubes to Promote Polysulfide Conversion in High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Abstract

Lithium-sulfur batteries have received lots of attention due to their high energy density and cheap material. The poor electrical conductivity and slow electrochemical kinetics of sulfur hinder their application. Here, we in situ grow Ni12P5 on carbon nanotube to prepare composites as sulfur host. Electrochemical tests show that Ni12P5 acts as an electrocatalyst in the lithium-sulfur batteries, initiating the oxidation of Li2S6 and Li2S4 at higher potentials, significantly improving the reaction kinetics during charging and discharging. The CNT@Ni12P5/S composite exhibited 1352 mAh/g initial discharge capacity at 0.1 C and a retention capacity of 85% after 100 cycles at 0.2 C.