WITHDRAWN: Progress in the advancement of medium- and high-entropy catalysts for high performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Abstract

Lithium-sulfur batteries have attracted significant attention as a potential new energy storage system, thanks to their high theoretical energy density, cost-effectiveness, and environmentally friendly nature. However, the practical implementation of lithium-sulfur batteries faces inherent challenges, such as rapid capacity decay and poor cycling stability due to the dissolution of lithium polysulfides during cycling. Recent advances have made considerable progress in addressing these challenges by incorporating catalysts to facilitate redox reactions and control the shuttle effect. A notable trend in this regard is the emergence of medium- and high-entropy materials as an innovative approach to designing advanced catalysts, positioning them as promising candidates for multimetallic-based catalysts in lithium-sulfur batteries. This review examines the progress and application of medium- and high-entropy materials, including alloys, oxides, sulfides, phosphides, and prussian blue analogues, as catalysts for lithium-sulfur batteries. It explores the effects of various factors and their synergistic impacts on electrochemical performance, along with discussions on strategies of optimizing catalyst design for the improved sulfur utilization and cycling stability. Additionally, the review discusses the challenges, potential future directions, and prospects for designing medium- and high-entropy materials-based catalysts, envisioning the development of high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries for future energy storage applications.