Multi-perspective synergistic construction of dual-functional heterostructures for high-temperature Li-S batteries

Abstract

Effectively limiting the shuttle effect is the key to improving the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries. Here, the synthesis of WO3-WS2 heterostructures is reported by electrospinning and in situ sulfurization strategies, combining the initial WO3 nanoparticles with the sulfurization product WS2. It was found that the obtained bifunctional heterostructures enhance the electrolyte wettability, optimize intermediate regulation performance, accelerate Li+/e− diffusion, and thus exhibit excellent electrochemical characteristics in Li-S batteries. Through experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the WO3-WS2 heterostructures were considered as a coupled creative solution with multiple advantages. Different from the batteries using single-component or single-configuration catalyst, the prepared Li-S batteries with the WO3-WS2 heterostructures exhibited synergistic enhanced electrochemical performance and high-temperature crushing resistance. Even under severe conditions, including high sulfur loading (10.3 mg cm−2), lean electrolyte (5.8 μL mg−1), high current density (7.0 A g−1), extended cycling (1600 cycles), and high temperature (90 °C), the representative battery exhibited stable cycling performance.