Waste Coffee Grounds Research Articles

Fiberglass cloth coated by coffee ground waste-derived carbon quantum dots/titanium dioxide composite for removal of caffeine and other pharmaceuticals from water

Coffee ground waste from the coffee beverage preparation is mainly discarded and consequently ends up in landfill, which cause the contamination of caffeine in various environmental compartments. This study focuses on the upcycling of coffee-ground waste to carbon quantum dots (CQDs) for use as a modifying material to improve the visible light activity of titanium dioxide (TiO2). The CQD solution was synthesized by hydrothermal method, which has an average size of 2.80 ± 0.63 nm. The CQDs/TiO2 photocatalysts were prepared by combining CQD solutions at various amounts with sol-gel TiO2 and then coated on the fiberglass cloths (FGCs). The photocatalytic application mainly focuses on the removal of caffeine from the water. The photocatalytic experiment was preliminary run in a simple batch reactor under visible light. The 5CQDs/TiO2 coated FGC (5 mL of CQD solution/g of Ti-based on sol-gel) showed the best performance, and it was selected for the removal of caffeine and other pharmaceuticals (i.e., carbamazepine and ibuprofen) in the recirculating reactor. The removals of caffeine, carbamazepine, and ibuprofen after irradiation for 9 h were 82%, 88%, and 84%, respectively. The residual concentrations were significantly lower than the reported toxicity levels based on specific species. The changes in total organic carbon were observed, indicating the mineralization of pharmaceuticals in water. The 5CQDs/TiO2 coated FGC showed good flexible performance. No obvious loss of activity was observed for five runs. The actual wastewater from the coffee pot cleaning process was also tested. The removal was 80% for caffeine and 86% for color in the unit of the American Dye Manufacturers Institute (ADMI).

Reusable Pd nanoparticle catalysts supported on KOH-activated waste coffee grounds for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Reusable Pd nanoparticle catalysts supported on KOH-activated waste coffee grounds for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Enhanced selectivity and recovery of phosphate and nitrate ions onto coffee ground waste biochars via co-precipitation of Mg/Al layered double hydroxides: A potential slow-release fertilizer

In this study, the feasibility of Mg/Al layered double hydroxides (LDH) functionalized coffee ground waste biochars (LDHMgAl@CWGB) as a potential adsorbent to selectively recover phosphate (PO43−) and nitrate (NO3−) ions in aqueous phases and their consecutive uses as a slow-release fertilizer for stimulating the plant growth were identified. The higher adsorption capacity of PO43− and NO3− ions by LDHMgAl@CWGB (PO43− = 6.98 mgP/g, NO3− = 2.82 mgN/g) compared with pristine coffee ground waste biochars (CWGB; PO43− = 0.19 mgP/g, NO3− = 0.32 mgN/g) was mainly due to the incorporation of Mg/Al mixed oxides and Cl contents. Chemisorption and intra-particle mainly controlled the adsorptive recovery of PO43− and NO3− ions by CWGB and LDHMgAl@CWGB in aqueous phases and their adsorption toward CWGB and LDHMgAl@CWGB proceeded endothermically and spontaneously. The changes in the major adsorption mechanisms of PO43− and NO3− ions from ligand exchange (CWGB) to electrostatic surface complexation and anion-exchange (LDHMgAl@CWGB) supported the conclusion that the alternation of the surface features through Mg/Al LDH functionalization might improve selectivity and adsorption capacity of PO43− and NO3− ions onto CWGB under the co-existence of Cl−, SO42−, and HCO3− ions. Since PO43-- and NO3−-loaded LDHMgAl@CWGB exhibited much higher seed germination, root and shoot growth rates of garden cress seeds (Lepidium sativum L) than other liquid and solid matrices, including 5 mgP/L PO43− and 5 mgN/L NO3−, 10 mgP/L PO43− and 10 mgN/L NO3−, and LDHMgAl@CWGB, it can be postulated that PO43-- and NO3−-loaded LDHMgAl@CWGB could be practically applicable to the agricultural field as a slow-release fertilizer to facilitate the seed germination, root and shoot growth of the plants.

Waste coffee grounds-derived carbon: Nanoarchitectured pore-structure regulation for sustainable room-temperature sodium–sulfur batteries

A systematic comparison has been made of three different porous carbon structures derived from waste coffee grounds to investigate the effect of carbon porosity on the electrochemical performance of RT Na–S batteries. The differences in their electrochemical performances were investigated in relation to the pore size distribution and the presence of sulfur molecules (Sn, 2 ≤ n ≤ 8) in the pores. We demonstrated that the hierarchically porous structure resulted in good rate capability and superior cycling stability. In particular, optimized carbon with micro-, meso-, and macroporous structures is beneficial because of its excellent wettability and kinetic accessibility. The optimized carbon structure with an appropriate sulfur content exhibited significantly higher capacity retention and long cycle stability in RT Na–S batteries. In addition, the reaction mechanisms have been investigated in combination with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements during the discharge process. The study established a relevance between the exact regulation of the pore structure of the carbon materials and their electrochemical performance, and also built a correlation between waste biomass and high-effective energy storage materials, which can inspire the rational design of porous carbon structures for further development of the highly efficient, cost-effective and sustainable RT Na–S batteries.

A portable electrochemical immunosensor for ovarian cancer uses hierarchical microporous carbon material from waste coffee grounds.

A simple label-free electrochemical immunosensor for ovarian cancer (OC) detection was developed using a hierarchical microporous carbon material fabricated from waste coffee grounds (WCG). The analysis method exploited near-field communication (NFC) and a smartphone-based potentiostat. Waste coffee grounds were pyrolyzed with potassium hydroxide and used to modify a screen-printed electrode. The modified screen-printed electrode was decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to capture a specific antibody. The modification and immobilization processes were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The sensor had an effective dynamic range of 0.5 to 50.0 U mL-1 of cancer antigen 125 (CA125) tumor marker with a correlation coefficient of 0.9995. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.4 U mL-1. A comparison of the results obtained from human serum analysis with the proposed immunosensor and the results obtained from the clinical method confirmed the accuracy and precision of the proposed immunosensor.

Enhanced performance of activated carbon-based supercapacitor derived from waste soybean oil with coffee ground additives

Waste edible oil is discarded in enormous amounts worldwide and poses a serious threat to the environment. The work presented in this paper focuses on the synthesis and fabrication of an electrochemical electrode using waste soybean oil and waste coffee ground to provide enhanced supercapacitive characteristics. We demonstrate a novel method of synthesizing activated carbon (AC) using soot collection, wherein two distinct approaches of mixing coffee ground to waste soybean oil via ultrasonication and hydrothermal treatment have been presented. The two methods lead to different and unique properties in terms of the material porosity, particle size, surface area, carbon and nitrogen content, and the hybridization states of the materials. These properties are correlated with the performance of different supercapacitors. A twofold increase in the highest specific capacitance is observed for the sample prepared using ultrasonication mixing of coffee ground (70.97 Fg-1 at 0.5 mA cm−2) compared to the sample prepared using hydrothermal technique (36.79 Fg-1 at 0.5 mA cm−2). The ultrasonicated sample has a surface area of 684.71 m2g-1. A capacitance retention of ∼90% is observed after 1010 cycles showing good device stability.

Phosphate organomineral fertilizer based on banana peels and coffee ground waste

Population growth impacts all areas of society. Food production is one of the most pressing challenges resulting from population growth creating the need for optimized production and the application of innovative ideas in the agricultural sector to meet growing demands. A common method used to increase crop yields is the application of fertilizers. Aiming to reduce the impact of fertilizer application, specifically soil leaching, this study proposes the production of a slow-release organomineral fertilizer made from triple superphosphate. The proposed fertilizer was created via hand extrusion ensuring heterogeneity in the resulting fertilizer pellets. The sample F15 (9,2% of banana peel; 1,6% of starch; 57,3% of TSP and 32% of coffee waste) showed the slow-release time (1h for the release of 50% of the nutrients and 8h for the total release). Tests were then conducted seeking to analyze and improve their pyrolysis performance, biochar creation potential, and polymer coating in the soil. Test results enabled improvements to the fertilizer pellets via polymeric coating and thermal treatment. Both methods displayed good results, however, the thermal treatment method resulted in fertilizer loss due to unwanted reactions. Test results were analyzed using Weibull's kinetic model, which after great consideration, was deemed the most appropriate to analyze the properties of the proposed fertilizer. The development of pelleted and heat-treated organomineral fertilizers is promising because, in addition to saving the mineral fraction, it also provides an environmental benefit by reusing waste that would otherwise be thrown.

Electrochemical properties of activated carbon from waste coffee grounds with hydrothermal-microwave radiation technique

Electrochemical properties of activated carbon from waste coffee grounds with hydrothermal-microwave radiation technique

Valorization potential of coffee grounds waste as a renewable pore-forming agent to produce low-cost porous ceramic support

Every day expressive amounts of coffee grounds waste generated during making the coffee beverage are produced worldwide. The aim of this work was to investigate the valorization potential of the coffee grounds waste as an alternative pore-forming agent to produce porous kaolin-based ceramic supports. For this purpose, kaolin-based ceramic support formulations containing up to 40 mass % of coffee grounds waste were pressed and fired at temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1200 ºC. The sintering behavior and technical properties (linear shrinkage, mass loss, apparent density, mechanical strength, and apparent porosity) have been investigated. The microstructural evolution has been accompanied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and 3D-confocal microscopy. The obtained results demonstrated that the coffee grounds waste could serve as a very effective pore-forming agent to produce kaolin-based ceramic support with highly porous structures. Such ceramic supports incorporated with coffee grounds waste exhibited values of apparent porosity within the range of 41.87 % to 70.96 %. This results suggests that the coffee grounds waste, in the range of 10 - 40 mass %, could be a highly promising renewable porogenic material to be valorized to produce low-cost kaolin-based ceramic support with good porosity properties. This new approach could be an innovative alternative for the sustainable use of coffee grounds waste.

The Potential of Spent Coffee Grounds @ MOFs Composite Catalyst in Efficient Activation of PMS to Remove the Tetracycline Hydrochloride from an Aqueous Solution

The efficient removal of Tetracycline Hydrochloride (TC) from wastewater, which is a difficult process, has attracted increasing attention. Aiming to synchronously achieve the goal of natural waste utilization and PMS activation, we have combined the MOFs material with waste coffee grounds (CG). The catalytic activity of the CG@ZIF-67 composite in the TC removal process was thoroughly evaluated, demonstrating that the TC removal rate could reach 96.3% within 30 min at CG@ZIF-67 composite dosage of 100 mg/L, PMS concertation of 1.0 mM, unadjusted pH 6.2, and contact temperate of 293.15 K. The 1O2 and ·SO4- in the CG@ZIF-67/PMS/TC system would play the crucial role in the TC degradation process, with 1O2 acting as the primary ROS. The oxygen-containing functional groups and graphite N on the surface of CG@ZIF-67 composite would play a major role in efficiently activating PMS and correspondingly degrading TC. In addition, the CG@ZIF-67/PMS/TC system could withstand a wide pH range (3-11). The application of CG in preparing MOF-based composites will provide a new method of removing emerging pollutants from an aqueous solution.

Адсорбционные свойства по отношению к метану функционального пористого материала на основе отходов кофе

A new microporous carbon material (MUM-51) was obtained from waste coffee grounds by carbonization and activation of KOH. MUM-51 has been characterized by various methods, including N2 adsorption-desorption at 77 K, X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Methane adsorption was studied on the resulting adsorbent at pressures up to 10 MPa and temperatures of 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, 313.15, 318.15, and 323.15 K. The specific pore volume of the adsorbent according to DFT is VDFT = 1.604 cm3/g. The BET specific surface is SBET = 3456 m2/g. The maximum value of methane adsorption at a temperature of 298,15 K and a pressure of 10 MPa reaches ~ 19 mmol/g. Experimental data on methane adsorption on MUM-51 were analyzed using the Dubinin–Radushkevich adsorption model in the temperature range 298.15 – 323.15 K and pressures up to 10 MPa. It has been established that the average relative deviations between the experimental results and the results obtained using the Dubinin-Radushkevich model are less than 3%. The initial differential molar heat of methane adsorption on the MUM-51 adsorbent is 28.7 kJ/mol. The results of the work showed that the carbon material obtained from waste coffee grounds, which has a high specific surface area and porosity, can be effectively used as an adsorbent for greenhouse gases, in particular methane.

Recycling Used-Coffee Grounds into Hierarchical Nanostructured Carbon for Supercapacitor Application

Hierarchical nanostructured activated carbon electrode material was prepared from the used-coffee grounds to fabricate a cost-effective, scalable and high-performance symmetric supercapacitor. The interconnected, disordered and microporous material was synthesized in a simple two-stage method of chemical activation with zinc chloride followed by direct pyrolysis of the coffee grounds at 900 ºC in nitrogen atmosphere. The N2 adsorption and desorption analysis showed that the prepared material had an extraordinary surface area of ~1178 m2 g-1. The fabricated symmetric supercapacitor device in non-aqueous tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF4) electrolyte exhibited 2.7 V cell voltage with superior specific capacitance, energy and power density of 129 F g–1, 56.4 Wh kg–1 and 797.9 W kg–1, respectively. Besides, it also had a high specific capacitance retention of 99% even after 10,000 cycles. This work demonstrated an effective approach to transform coffee grounds into high performance electrode material for renewable energy devices. The observed electrochemical performance evidently showed that the materials derived from waste coffee grounds could be recycled into potential electrode material for supercapacitors. The cost-effectiveness and abundance of waste coffee grounds combined with the simple activation process and high performance of the synthesized material increased its feasibility for commercial applications in energy storage devices.

Synergistic effect of Pd-Co3O4 nanoparticles supported on coffee-derived sulfur, nitrogen-codoped hierarchical porous carbon for efficient methanolysis of NaBH4

Sulfur, nitrogen-codoped (SN-doped) highly porous carbon nanostructures (CNSs) are established as efficient components for hydrogen generation applications. Waste coffee grounds are carbonized in situ and activated with KOH to produce hierarchically SN doped porous carbon nanostructures with a large specific surface area of 2320 m2 g−1. The amorphous and highly active Pd-Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) are anchored onto an SN-codoped carbon nanosheet prepared via a simple hydrothermal reaction. An effective method for optimization of the Pd-Co3O4/SN-CNS-600 catalytic efficiency for NaBH4 methanolysis using sodium sulfide as a precursor or combination of sulfur-containing salts as a raw material is proposed. The Pd-Co3O4/SN-CNS-600 catalyst exhibits an excellent catalytic activity for NaBH4 catalytic methanolysis at room temperature, with a high hydrogen generation rate of 20158 mL H2 min−1 gcat−1. The methanolysis reaction activation energy in an aqueous NaBH4 solution is approximately 14.52 kJ/mol. The excellent Pd-Co3O4/SN-CNS-600 catalytic activity is attributed to the small size and amorphous state of Pd-Co3O4 NPs, good synergistic interaction between Pd-Co3O4 NPs and SN-CNS with a large specific surface area, and abundant defects. Highly efficient, inexpensive, and environment-friendly catalysts are successfully developed for hydrogen generation.

RESEARCH OF HYBRID ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE BIODEGRADABLE COMPOSITES BASED ON POLYLACTIDE, COFFEE GROUNDS AND HUMІС SUBSTANCES

In the article, a study was conducted with the aim of establishing the characteristics of hybrid ecologically safe biodegradable filled composites based on polylactide, coffee grounds and humic substances. Hybrid ecologically safe biodegradable filled composites were obtained by extruding pre-prepared polylactide, coffee grounds and humic substances in a single-screw laboratory extruder at a temperature of 170–200 °C and a roll rotation speed of 30–100 rpm. When obtaining hybrid ecologically safe biodegradable filled composites, lactic acid polylactide polymer of the extrusion brand Terramac TP-4000 was used. Waste coffee grounds collected in 8 different coffee shops in the city of Kharkiv and dried to a moisture content of 0,5 % were used. Humic substances were used as hybrid modifiers. It was established that the hybrid modification of highly filled polylactide-coffee grounds systems with humic derivatives of lignite in the form of humic substances allows to significantly increase the main strength characteristics. It was established that there is a 2.5-fold increase in impact toughness and destructive bending stress during hybrid modification of environmentally safe biodegradable filled composites based on polylactide, coffee grounds, and humic substances, while the optimum from the point of view of strength characteristics is the content of coffee grounds at the level of 50 % by weight and 0.5 % wt. humic substances. For such hybrid ecologically safe biodegradable filled composites based on polylactide, coffee grounds and humic substances, the melting flow rate is characteristic at the level of 3.1 g/10 min. and the processing temperature range is 182–188 °С. It was also established that hybrid modification in the framework of obtaining hybrid ecologically safe biodegradable filled composites based on polylactide, coffee grounds and humic substances with a content of 0.5 % by mass. different types of humic substances in them and different contents of coffee grounds allow them to preserve biodegradation properties for 6 months.

UTILIZATION OF ORGANIC LIQUID COFFE FERTILIZER (COFFEA ARABICA L.) AS HYDROPONIC NUTRITION IN MUSTARD PLANTS (BRASSICA JUNCEA L.)

As mustard greens contain various benefits that are beneficial to health, because the mustard greens contain vitamins and minerals that play an important role in the process of growth and metabolism of the body. One way to grow vegetables in a narrow area is to use a hydroponic system. Hydroponics is a way of farming without using soil media but uses water as a medium and uses nutrients as nutrients for plant growth. Hydroponic cultivation is one of the efforts to obtain quality agricultural products, healthy, and free of pesticides. However, the use of hydroponic nutrients for now is still sourced from chemical fertilizers. Therefore, one solution to reduce the use of inorganic fertilizers can be used organic fertilizers, namely liquid organic fertilizer which is more easily absorbed by plants because the elements in it have been decomposed. One of the wastes that can be used as liquid organic fertilizer is coffee grounds waste. This study aims to determine the use of liquid organic fertilizer coffee grounds (Coffea arabica L.) as hydroponic nutrients in mustard plants (Brassica juncea L.). This research was conducted from February to April 2020, located at the Integrated Research Laboratory and the wire house of the Department of Biology FMIPA UNP. This study uses a completely randomized design (RAL) with 5 treatments and 3 replications. Data were analyzed using the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and DNMRT follow-up tests at the 5% level. The results showed that various concentrations of hydroponic nutrient solution with liquid organic fertilizer based on coffee grounds had a significant effect on increasing the growth of mustard plants (Brassica juncea L.) both from plant height, number of leaves and leaf area. Keywords: Coffea Grounds, Hydroponics, Liquid Organic Fertilizer, Plant Sawi

Effects of waste coffee grounds on the mechanical properties, flame retardancy and toxic gas production of epoxy composites

Waste coffee grounds, a biomaterial with high carbon content, have been suggested as a non-toxic organic flame retardant due to their high char forming and radical scavenging properties. Herein, investigations are conducted on the effects of waste coffee grounds, especially their concentration and particle size, on the mechanical properties, flame retardancy, toxic gas production of epoxy composites. Results reveal that reducing average size of the waste coffee grounds from 46 µm to 16 µm, using freeze-milling or filtering, can reduce peak heat release rate and total heat release of their epoxy composites by 52.0% and 33.7% respectively, exceeding the effectiveness of other bio-based flame retardants such as chitosan, lignin and seashell. More importantly, the fine coffee grounds can achieve the same performance as aluminium trihydrates, the most widely used non-bio flame retardant. Furthermore, the burning rates and emissions of toxic gas have also been greatly reduced, almost entirely suppressing the highly toxic NO2 gas. The findings provide new insights into the effect of particle size of waste coffee grounds on both the mechanical properties and flame retardancy performnance of epoxy composites.

Evaluation of Physico-Mechanical Properties on Oil Extracted Ground Coffee Waste Reinforced Polyethylene Composite.

The current work discusses ground coffee waste (GCW) reinforced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composite. GCW underwent two types of treatment (oil extraction, and oil extraction followed by mercerization). The composites were prepared using stacking HDPE film and GCW, followed by hot compression molding with different GCW particle loadings (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%). Particle loadings of 5% and 10% of the treated GCW composites exhibited the optimum level for this particular type of composite, whereby their mechanical and thermal properties were improved compared to untreated GCW composite (UGC). SEM fracture analysis showed better adhesion between HDPE and treated GCW. The FTIR conducted proved the removal of unwanted impurities and reduction in water absorption after the treatment. Specific tensile modulus improved for OGC at 5 vol% particle loading. The highest impact energy absorbed was obtained by OGC with a 16% increment. This lightweight and environmentally friendly composite has potential in high-end packaging, internal automotive parts, lightweight furniture, and other composite engineering applications.

Reusing Waste Coffee Grounds in the Preparation of Porous Alumina Ceramics

Porous ceramics can be used in various industrial applications, such as thermal insulation, orthopedic implants, high-temperature filtration, lightweight structural components, and catalyst supports, etc., and can be obtained using various methods. In this study, the sacrificial fugitive method was used to prepare a porous alumina ceramic. The appropriate amount of sacrificial fugitive was combined with raw ceramic powder as a pore-forming agent, and was then evaporated or burned out either before or during the sintering process to create the desired pores. Various materials can be used as pore-forming agents; in this work, eco-friendly waste coffee grounds (WCG) were utilized. First, alumina ceramic green bodies were prepared via slip casting of 60 wt. % alumina suspensions with five different amounts of WCG (0 wt. %, 1 wt. %, 5 wt. %, 10 wt. % and 15 wt. %) and the dispersant Dolapix (0.2 wt. %), and using PVA (0.5 wt. %) as a binder for all solutions. The effect of the various amounts of WCG on the alumina ceramic green bodies, and subsequently on the obtained sintered ceramics, was tracked and validated through different analyses. Suspension viscosity was determined through a rotational viscometer. Simultaneous differential thermal and thermogravimetric (DTA/TGA) analyses were used to observe the thermal decomposition of WCG and to determine the sintering regime. After sintering, the density, porosity, and shrinkage of the samples were examined and calculated. In addition, the phase composition and crystallite size of all sintered samples were determined by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis, as well as their morphology and composition using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results show that density decreased from 3.743 to 2.172 g/cm3 and porosity increased from 6.12% to 45.52%, both with the increasing amount of WCG (from 0 wt. % to 15 wt. %).

Reusing Waste Coffee Grounds as Electrode Materials: Recent Advances and Future Opportunities.

Coffee industry produces more than eight million tons of waste coffee grounds (WCG) annually. These WCG contain caffeine, tannins, and polyphenols and can be of great environmental concern if not properly disposed of. On the other hand, components of WCG are mainly macromolecular cellulose and lignocellulose, which can be utilized as cheap carbon precursors. Accordingly, various forms of carbon materials have been reportedly synthesized from WCG, including activated carbon, mesoporous carbon, carbon nanosheets, carbon nanotubes, graphene sheet fibers (i.e., graphenated carbon nanotubes), and particle-like graphene. Upcycling of various biomass and/or waste into value-added functional materials is of growing significance to offer more sustainable solutions and enable circular economy. In this context, this review offers timely insight on the recent advances of WCG derived carbon as value-added electrode materials. As electrodes, they have shown to possess excellent electrochemical properties and found applications in capacitor/supercapacitor, batteries, electrochemical sensors, owing to their low cost, high electrical conductivity, polarization, and chemical stability. Collectively, these efforts could represent an environmentally friendly and circular economy approach, which could not only help solve the food waste issue, but also generate high performance carbon-based materials for many electrochemical applications.

Promoting long cycle life with honeycomb-like tri-modal porous carbon for stable lithium-sulfur polymer batteries

Shuttling of soluble polysulfides (Li2Sn, 4 ≤ n ≤ 8) results in a low discharge capacity and unstable cycling performance of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. Furthermore, the formation of insoluble sulfides (Li2S2/Li2S) can retard the reaction kinetics, resulting in poor rate capability and short cycle life. In this study, a novel structural configuration, including a honeycomb-like porous carbon (HPC) as the sulfur host and gel polymer electrolyte (GPE), is proposed. HPC derived from waste coffee grounds possesses a tri-modal pore system. The micropore, as the main reactor, undergoes a “solid–solid” reaction mechanism in carbonate-based electrolyte, effectively preventing the generation of polysulfides. The macro- and mesopores can improve the accessibility of the electrolyte, accelerating ion transfer in the cell. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the functional groups on the HPC show strong interactions with polysulfides. These data in combination with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate the presence of effective and stable mediator groups without the formation of polysulfides. The GPE provides adequate electrolyte infiltration and minimizes the leakage of flammable liquid, affording excellent cycling stability. As a result, the cell with this novel configurational shows only 0.03% capacity fading per cycle over 1500 cycles at 0.5 C-rate, providing excellent long-term cycle durability up to 10 C-rate. The excellent cycling stability and rate performance demonstrate that the novel structural configuration is effective in improving the electrochemical performance and prolonging the cycle life of Li–S batteries.