Dimension-controlled N-doped graphitic carbon nanostructures through low-temperature metal-catalyzed transformation from C3N4 for high-performance electrochemical barrier in lithium-sulfur batteries

Abstract

Continuous efforts have been devoted to establishing viable synthetic guidelines for dimension-controlled carbon nanomaterials. This paper proposes a dimension-convertible synthetic procedure based on metal-organic complexes. One- or two-dimensional carbon nanostructures can be developed through the different graphitization behaviors of metal-organic complexes according to the selected metal ions. These nanostructures possess vital functions from surface nitrogen functionalities and embedded metal species for a wide range of applications. These distinctive structural functions are applied to functionalize the general separator as an electrochemical barrier for lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. Benefiting from the polysulfide blocking function and electrocatalytic effect, the resulting separator Li–S cells exhibit high-rate capability and stable cycling performance. The remarkable performance combined with comprehensive characterization of the resulting dimension-controlled carbon nanomaterials provides new insights into the design of functional nanomaterials for energy and environmental research.