One-dimensional Carbon Nanotubes Research Articles

Carbon Materials with Different Dimensions Supported Pt Catalysts for Selective Hydrogenation of 3,4-Dichloronitrobenzene to 3,4-Dichloroaniline

In this study, carbon materials with different dimensions, including the typical one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotube (CNT), two-dimensional (2D) graphene (GF), and three-dimensional (3D) activated carbon (AC), were investigated as a support for Pt catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene (3,4-DCNB) to 3,4-dichloroaniline (3,4-DCAN). Notably, the Pt/CNT catalyst with the lowest dimension exhibited the best conversion of 3,4-DCNB under mild reaction conditions, followed by Pt/GF. Comprehensive characterizations, including XRD, TEM, XPS, and in situ CO DRIFTS, reveal that the dimension of carbon supports plays an important role in the particle size and electronic properties of Pt species, consequently affecting the catalytic performances of Pt catalysts. According to the results, electron-deficient Pt particles with small sizes are more favorable for the hydrogenation of 3,4-DCNB to 3,4-DCAN. In addition, dynamic tests and in situ DRIFTS of 3,4-DCNB indicated that the carbonaceous supports will largely influence the adsorption and activation capacity of the Pt catalysts, so that Pt loaded on CNT and GF are superior to that on the AC. We believe this study will provide good guidance for designing efficient carbon-supported metal catalysts for selective hydrogenation.

Tuning Dielectric Properties with Nanofiller Dimensionality in Polymer Nanocomposites.

Polymer nanocomposites hold great potential as dielectrics for energy storage devices and flexible electronics. The structural architecture of the nanofillers is expected to play a crucial role in the fundamental mechanisms governing the electrical breakdown and dielectric properties of the nanocomposites. However, the effect of nanofiller structure and dimensionality on these properties has not been studied thoroughly to date. This study explores the critical relationship between nanofiller dimensionality and dielectric properties in polymer nanocomposites. We fabricated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposites by incorporating a range of carbon-based nanofillers separately, including zero-dimensional (0D) carbon black (CB), one-dimensional (1D) multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), 1D single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), two-dimensional (2D) reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and three-dimensional (3D) graphite. The frequency-dependent (1 kHz to 1 MHz) dielectric permittivity (k) of the nanocomposites at the same concentration of nanofillers demonstrated a hierarchical order, with MWCNT showing the highest permittivity (∼400%), succeeded by rGO (∼360%), CB (∼290%), SWCNT (∼230%), and graphite (∼70%), respectively. The temperature-dependent (50-150 °C) dielectric spectroscopy revealed high k with increasing temperature due to the enhanced dipole movement. However, their dielectric breakdown strength and energy densities were not correlated to k and exhibited the following order: SWCNT > MWCNT > CB > rGO > graphite. As the electrical breakdown depends upon the nanocomposites' mechanical strength, we correlated the mechanical properties with the nanofiller dimensionality, and Young's modulus followed the 1D ≈ 2D > 0D > 3D order. These findings will provide fundamental insights into designing tunable, conducive nanofiller-based nanocomposites in next-generation flexible electronics and capacitive energy storage devices.

Improved-quality graphene films via the synergism of large nanosheet aligning and nanotube bridging for flexible supercapacitors

Scalable production of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films with high mechanical-electrical properties is desirable as these films are candidates for wearable electronics devices and energy storage applications. Removing structural incompleteness such as wrinkles or voids in the graphene films, which are generated from the assembly process, would greatly optimize their mechanical properties. However, the densely stacked graphene sheets in the films degrade their ionic kinetics and thus limit their development. Here, a horizontal-longitudinal-structure modulating strategy is demonstrated to produce enhanced mechanical, conductive, and capacitive graphene films. Typically, two-dimensional large graphene sheets (LGS) induce regular stacking of graphene oxide (GO) during the assembly process to reduce wrinkles, while one-dimensional single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) bridge with graphene sheets to strengthen the multidirectional intercalation and reduce GO layer restacking. The simultaneous incorporation of LGS and SWCNT synergistically creates a fine microstructure by improving the alignment of graphene sheets, increasing continuous conductive pathways to facilitate electron transport, and enlarging interlayer spacing to promote electrolyte ion diffusion. As a result, the obtained graphene films are flat and exhibit signally reinforced mechanical properties, electrical conductivity (38727 S m-1), as well as specific capacitance (232 F g-1) as supercapacitor electrodes compared to those of original rGO films. Moreover, owing to the comprehensive improved properties, a flexible gel supercapacitor assembled by the graphene film-based electrodes shows high energy density, good flexibility, and excellent cycling stability (93.8% capacitance retention after 10 000 cycles). This work provides a general strategy to manufacture robust graphene structural materials for energy storage applications in flexible and wearable electronics.

Preparation and electrochemical properties of flexible self-supported graphene/silicon/carbon nanotube composite electrode for lithium-ion battery

To meet the demand of flexible devices, it was urgent to develop flexible high-capacity electrodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Silicon (Si) as an active material would effectively elevate the specific capacity of LIBs, but the drastic volume changes and low intrinsic conductivity seriously affected its electrochemical performance during the charge-discharge process. In this research, a new type of composite was designed using two-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (rGO), one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) as raw materials. The prepared rGO/Si/CNTs composite had an intricate and intersecting porous network structure inside, with rGO as the substrate, CNTs as a bridge, and Si NPs as the active material. The rGO would provide abundant attachment sites for Si NPs, improve electrode conductivity, and alleviate the volume change of electrode. CNTs can effectively suppress the stacking of rGO layers and generate more voids for the reaction, and also serve as a bridge for electron transfer between rGO layers. Furthermore, the interaction between each other also heightened the flexibility and strength of electrodes. Compared to the other composites, rGO/Si/CNTs=2:2:1 electrodes presented the superior electrochemical performance. When cycled at 200 mA g−1, its discharge capacity was 2217.2 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles. As the current density increasing to 1000 and 5000 mA g−1, the discharge capacity maintained at 1877.2 and 534.8 mAh g−1 for 1000th cycle, and it also demonstrated superior rate performance. Besides, the assembled flexible battery maintained a good current output under various bending conditions, and was expected to be widely used in the flexible wearable energy storage devices.

Capillary compression induced outstanding n-type thermoelectric power factor in CNT films towards intelligent temperature controller

One-dimensional carbon nanotubes are promising candidates for thermoelectrics because of their excellent electrical and mechanical properties. However, the large n-type power factor remains elusive in macroscopic carbon nanotubes films. Herein, we report an outstanding n-type power factor of 6.75 mW m−1 K−2 for macroscopic carbon nanotubes films with high electrical and thermal conductivity. A high-power density curl-able thermoelectric generator is fabricated with the obtained carbon nanotubes films, which exhibits a high normalized power output density of 2.75 W m−1 at a temperature difference of 85 K. The value is higher than that of previously reported flexible all-inorganic thermoelectric generators (<0.3 W m−1). An intelligent temperature controller with automated temperature-controlling ability is fabricated by assembling these thermoelectric generators, which demonstrates the potential application of the carbon nanotubes films in automated thermal management of electronic devices where requires a large thermoelectric power factor and a large thermal conductivity simultaneously.

Colossal conductivity anisotropy in 3D metallic carbon films

Harnessing the phenomena of quantum coherence and destructive interference, we have successfully engineered and synthesized a three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based film exhibiting remarkable properties, including metallic thermal conductivity (κ ≈ 150 Wm⁻1K⁻1) and electrical conductivity (σ ≈ 320 kSm⁻1) at room temperature. Notably, these films demonstrate colossal transport anisotropies, reaching approximately 103 for thermal and 105 for electrical conductivity. This places them among the conducting materials with the highest anisotropies known to date, surpassing even the performance of one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotubes and two-dimensional (2D) materials like h-BN and MoS₂. These films are synthesized by self-assembly and cross-linking of edge-hydrolyzed graphene flakes. The electron transport between flakes is phonon mediated and at low temperatures the films present quantum critical behavior of a metal to Anderson insulator transition. We measure the electron transport properties in a Hall bar geometry and extract the critical exponents as a function of the sample mobility.

Multifunction integration within magnetic CNT-bridged MXene/CoNi based phase change materials

Developing advanced nanocomposite phase change materials (PCMs) integrating zero-energy thermal management, microwave absorption, photothermal therapy and electrical signal detection can promote the leapfrog development of flexible wearable electronic devices. For this goal, we propose a multidimensional collaborative strategy combining two-dimensional (2D) MXene nanosheets with metal-organic framework-derived one-dimensional (1D) carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and zero-dimensional (0D) metal nanoparticles. After encapsulating paraffin wax (PW) in three-dimensional (3D) networked multidimensional MXene/CoNi–C, the resulting composite PCMs exhibit excellent thermal energy storage capacity and long-term thermally reliable stability. Benefiting from the synergistically enhanced photothermal effects of CNTs, Co/Ni nanoparticles and MXene, PW@MXene/CoNi–C can capture photons efficiently and transfer phonons quickly, yielding an ultrahigh photothermal conversion and storage efficiency of 97.5%. Additionally, PW@MXene/CoNi–C composite PCMs exhibit high microwave absorption with a minimum reflection loss of −49.3 ​dB at 8.03 ​GHz in heat-related electronic application scenarios. More attractively, the corresponding flexible phase change film can simultaneously achieve thermal management and electromagnetic shielding of electronic devices, as well as photothermal therapy and electrical signal detection for individuals. This functional integration design provides an important reference for developing advanced flexible multifunctional wearable materials and devices.

Sustainable CO2-based PPC foams functionalized with enhanced glass transition temperature by a controllable hydrogen bonding complexation

Biodegradable polypropylene carbonate (PPC) has garnered significant attention for its commendable biodegradability and its role in mitigating the greenhouse effect. However, the inherent drawback of PPC, its low glass transition temperature (Tg), severely restricts its widespread use, especially at room temperature. In this study, we explore the utilization of MXene-OH/CNTs-OH (CM) hybrids, which encompass hydroxylated one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs-OH) and the two-dimensional layered structure of Ti3C2 (MXene-OH), to enhance the properties of PPC through hydrogen bonding complexation. By adjusting the content of nanofillers, the resulting PPC/CM composites demonstrate improved Tg, mechanical strength, and exceptional capability in supercritical foaming. Both experimental and theoretical analyses confirm that the CM crosslinking mechanism significantly elevates the Tg of the composite to 37.3 °C, while also enhancing tensile strength by 23.7% and antibacterial activity by 99.6%. This study presents a straightforward and practical method for developing functionalized, sustainable polymer foams with enhanced characteristics, poised for a diverse range of applications.

Fabrication of multi-dimensional heterostructure towards highly efficient microwave absorbing performance and flame retardancy

To diminish the intimidation of the electromagnetic wave pollution, high-performance electromagnetic absorbing material are badly-needed for the normal operation of precision instruments and the people's health. A new type multi-dimensional heterostructure microwave absorber was designed by combining the carboxylated one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNT), two-dimensional MXene and graphene oxide (GO), then was reduced and foamed (foamed and reduced GO, F-rGO) by a simple one-pot method under hydrazine treatment to form CNT-MXene-F-rGO. For the 25 wt% CNT-MXene-F-rGO composites, the lowest RL value reached to 57.6 dB at 10.3 GHz with a thickness of 2.5 mm and an EAB of 3.3 GHz, meeting the high requirements of light, wide-band and high-efficiency. Moreover, the conduction loss, dielectric loss, multiple reflection and scattering collectively functioned to enhance the electromagnetic wave absorbing property. In addition, the heat release capacity (HRC), peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) of EP/CNT-MXene-F-rGO10 composites greatly reduced by 53.0%, 40.3% and 15.6%, respectively, showing excellent flame retardancy via the nano-tunneling and catalytic carbonization effect.

Effects of Multidimensional Carbon-Based Nanomaterials on the Low-Carbon and High-Performance Cementitious Composites: A Critical Review.

Cementitious composites are ubiquitous in construction, and more and more research is focused on improving mechanical properties and environmental effects. However, the jury is still out on which material can achieve low-carbon and high-performance cementitious composites. This article compares the mechanical and environmental performance of zero-dimensional fullerenes, one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs), two-dimensional graphene oxide (GO), and three-dimensional nano-graphite platelets (NGPs) on cementitious composites. The literature review shows that two-dimensional (2D) GO has the best mechanical and environmental performance, followed by 3D NGPs, 1D CNTs, and 0D fullerenes. Specifically, GO stands out for its lower energy consumption (120-140 MJ/kg) and CO2 emissions (0.17 kg/kg). When the optimal dosage (0.01-0.05 wt%) of GO is selected, due to its high specific surface area and strong adhesion to the matrix, the compressive strength of the cementitious composites is improved by nearly 50%. This study will help engineers and researchers better utilize carbon-based nanomaterials and provide guidance and direction for future research in related fields.

The configuration design of cross-linked CNT networks to realize heterostructure in Cu matrix composite towards prominent mechanical-electrical property synergy

Developing reticular reinforcement and heterogeneous microstructure remains persistent challenges in one-dimensional carbon nanotube (CNT)-Cu system. We herein fabricated dual-heterostructured Cu composite by diazotizing CNT into cross-linked (CL) networks and achieving bimodal grain distribution. The CL-CNT networks uniformly dispersed in Cu matrix, forming strong C–N/O–Cu covalent bonds at the interfaces and effectively retarding grain growth to create ultra-fine grain (UFG) regions around them. The CL-CNT networks/UFG regions, along with the surrounding coarse grain (CG) regions, resulted in a remarkable synergy between mechanical and electrical properties within the composite. Systematic analysis indicates that CL-CNT network acts as a whole to bear loading, remarkably enhances the load-transfer strengthening and promotes the dislocation accumulation around the interface. Meanwhile, hetero-deformation between “hard” CL-CNT networks/UFG regions and “soft” CG regions lead to extra-strengthening and hardening associated with strain partitioning, generation of geometrically necessary dislocation (GND) and strain delocalization. In-situ tensile test further reveals that CL-CNT/Cu with dual-heterostructure introduces the extra-toughening via crack bridging and deflection mechanisms. Besides, CL-CNT network with the robust interface is considered to reduce the interfacial inelastic scattering and provide additional paths for electron transport, accounting for the high electrical conductivity. This work highlights the importance of configuration design of reinforcement in tailoring heterostructured metal matrix composites (MMCs) with outstanding comprehensive performance.

Room-temperature quantum emission from interface excitons in mixed-dimensional heterostructures

The development of van der Waals heterostructures has introduced unconventional phenomena that emerge at atomically precise interfaces. For example, interlayer excitons in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides show intriguing optical properties at low temperatures. Here we report on room-temperature observation of interface excitons in mixed-dimensional heterostructures consisting of two-dimensional tungsten diselenide and one-dimensional carbon nanotubes. Bright emission peaks originating from the interface are identified, spanning a broad energy range within the telecommunication wavelengths. The effect of band alignment is investigated by systematically varying the nanotube bandgap, and we assign the new peaks to interface excitons as they only appear in type-II heterostructures. Room-temperature localization of low-energy interface excitons is indicated by extended lifetimes as well as small excitation saturation powers, and photon correlation measurements confirm antibunching. With mixed-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures where band alignment can be engineered, new opportunities for quantum photonics are envisioned.

One-dimensional biomass-based carbon nanotubes loaded with MoS2 as catalysts for the electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction reaction

In recent years, electrochemical conversion of nitrogen to ammonia at low temperature and atmospheric pressure has become a hot research topic because of its advantages of low carbon emission, low energy consumption and high energy transfer rate. The development of catalysts with high catalytic activity and flexibility are an important topic in the current nitrogen reduction reaction. In this paper, CNT@MoS2 composite catalysts were prepared by catalytic pyrolysis of biomass to prepare one-dimensional carbon nanotubes and then combined with MoS2 by a hydro thermal method. It was found that 120 CNT@MoS2 had better NRR activity and selectivity, NH3 yield rate of 21.2 μg h−1 mg−1 was achieved at −0.44 V vs. The Faraday efficiency can reach 5.4%. The catalytic performance is more than 3 times higher than CNT. The mechanism of MoS2-catalyzed NRR was further investigated by DFT theoretical calculations. The results of the theoretical calculations are in good agreement with the experimental results, providing a reasonable explanation for the high reduction performance of the catalyst. This study offered a promising avenue for exploring and rationalizing the design of electrocatalytic materials for NRR.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Thermal Transport of Carbon Nanotube Interfaces

In this paper, non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the interfacial heat exchange capacity of one-dimensional carbon nanotube nested structures. When the radius of the CNT substrate is increased from 1.356 to 2.712 nm, the ITC has a great enhancement from 1.340 to 2.949 nw/k. After this, we investigate the effects of overlap length, CNT length, and van der Waals interaction strength on the thermal resistance of the interface between carbon nanotubes. Firstly, we found that the nesting depth can significantly increase the ITC, and the increase in ITC is more obvious at an overlap length of 40 Å than at 30 Å. After this, the effect of length on the interfacial thermal conductivity is investigated, and the interfacial thermal conductivity is enhanced by 33.8% when the length is increased to 30 nm. Finally, the effect of van der Waals interaction strength was investigated, and the ITC increased from 1.60 nW/K to 2.71 nW/K when the scale factor was increased from 1 to 2.

When 2D g-C3N4 meets 0D CNQDs and 1D CNTs: A strategy for photocatalytic hydrogen production over a ternary non-metallic catalyst

Utilizing solar energy to facilitate photocatalytic hydrogen production holds great promise in addressing the energy crisis. One material that shows tremendous potential in this field is two-dimensional graphitic carbon nitride (2D g-C3N4). However, the fast recombination rate of photogenerated carriers and the limited specific surface area impede its photocatalytic activity. This research endeavors to address these limitations by developing a ternary composite photocatalyst, CNQDs/g-C3N4/CNTs, by employing the microwave hydrothermal method. g-C3N4 was co-modified with zero-dimensional g-C3N4 quantum dots (0D CNQDs) and one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (1D CNTs). Incorporating CNQDs and the g-C3N4 interface facilitates the separation of photogenerated carriers, while the tubular channel of CNTs provides favorable conditions for transferring photogenerated electrons. Additionally, the introduction of CNQDs and CNTs significantly increases the specific surface area of the sample, thereby enhancing the number of reaction active sites available for the photocatalytic production of hydrogen. The hydrogen generation rate of the CNQDs/g-C3N4/CNTs is 1109.388 μmol⋅g−1⋅h−1, surpassing that of the single g-C3N4 specimen by 3.62 times. The application of density functional theory (DFT) calculations reinforces the enhanced performance of the composite through the synergistic effect of CNQDs and CNTs. This effect optimizes the adsorption behavior of the active intermediate (H*) and reduces the Gibbs free energy ΔG(H*) associated with the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction.

Establishing Ohmic Contact of a Radial Compressed CNT Bundle with High Work Function Metal.

Establishing low-resistance ohmic contact is critical for developing electronic devices based on traditional silicon and new low-dimensional materials. Due to unprecedented electronic and mechanical properties, the one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been used as source/drain, gate, or tunnel to fabricate transistors. However, the mechanism causing low-resistance ohmic contact is not clear yet. Here, the hybrid atomic force microscopy-scanning electron microscopy (AFM-SEM) instrument was developed to establish lower-resistance ohmic contact between a radial compressed deformed multiwalled CNT bundle and high work function metal (platinum and gold). The radial compression structure under strong van der Waals attraction was in situ characterized through the SEM image to obtain the diameter and width and through AFM to get height and to perform nanoindentation, indicating that Pt has the smaller radial compression deformation. Molecular dynamics simulations exhibit that compared to Pt, a wider ribbon-like graphene layer formed when the radial compressed CNTs contacted with Au. The bond forming and electron orbital overlapping between C atoms of deformed CNTs and the high work function metal atom is beneficial for good electrical contact.

Bouligand-like structured CNT film with tunable impact performance through pitch angle and intertube interaction

The Bouligand structure, characterized by a helicoidal arrangement of fibers, is prevalent in arthropods. Leveraging the exceptional impact resistance inherent in this structure, mantis shrimp could effortlessly crack the shells of shellfish using their dactyl club. Drawing inspiration from this natural phenomenon, we propose a novel Bouligand-like structured carbon nanotube film (BCNF) that combines the Bouligand structure with super-strong one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Through systematic investigation via molecular dynamics simulations, we explore the impact resistance and energy dissipation properties of BCNF. Our results reveal that the impact behaviors under different velocities can be tuned by adjusting the pitch angle of BCNFs. At an impact velocity of 1 km/s, the projectile exhibits three typical phenomena after impact, including embedding in the film, bouncing back, and penetration. At an impact velocity of 2 km/s, all films are penetrated. Furthermore, to enhance the impact resistance of BCNF, we introduce intertube crosslinking bonds, forming a crosslinked Bouligand-like structured CNT film (CBCNF). The study demonstrates that crosslinking effectively modulates the energy dissipation mode of the film. With increasing crosslinking density, the predominant energy dissipation mode shifts from interface sliding and bending of the CNTs to the fracture and collapse of CNTs. This research provides valuable insights into the microstructure design of CNT-based films and offers theoretical guidance for their applications in impact protection.

A highly conductive and robust micrometre-sized SiO anode enabled by an in situ grown CNT network with a safe petroleum ether carbon source.

SiO-based materials as lithium-ion anodes have attracted huge attention owing to their ultrahigh capacity. However, they usually undergo severe volume expansion over the repeated lithiation/delithiation processes and have low electronic conductivity, leading to an inferior cycling stability and poor rate capability. In this study, carbon nanotubes in situ grown on the surface of commercially available micro-sized SiO (D50 = 5 μm) were prepared. The conductive network composed of one-dimensional carbon nanotubes could enhance its conductivity and enhance the structural stability during the cycling. The synthesized 3D-SiO@C material demonstrates good long-term cycling stability, with a reversible capacity of up to 687.7 mA h g-1 after 1000 cycles, and it maintains a high reversible capacity of 736.8 mA h g-1, even at a high current density of 1 A g-1.

Realizing a high OER activity in new single-atom catalysts formed by introducing TMNx (x = 3 and 4) units into carbon nanotubes using high-throughput calculations.

Exploring highly efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of great significance for hydrogen production through water splitting. By means of high-throughput density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we investigated the OER catalytic activity of a series of one-dimensional carbon nanotube (CNT)-based systems containing TMN4 or TMN3 functional units. Through the screening of 3d/4d/5d transition metals (TMs) from Group IVB to Group VIII, eight newly obtained TMNx@CNT (x = 3 and 4) systems were found to exhibit excellent OER activity, with very low overpotentials in the range 0.29-0.51 V, where the Co, Rh, Ir, Ti, Fe, and Ru atoms could be used as active sites. It was found that under the framework of TMN3@CNTs, the pre-adsorption of some species from water dissociation on the relevant TM sites (TM = Ti, Fe, and Ru) could lead to a high OER catalytic activity, which was different from the general situation where OER reactions directly occur on the clean surfaces of the remaining systems with Co/Rh/Ir metal centers. Moreover, the catalytic mechanisms were analyzed in detail. This work can be conducive to obtaining low-cost and high-performance OER single-atom electrocatalysts based on excellent CNT nanomaterials.

Long-Lasting, Reinforced Electrical Networking in High-Loading Li2S Cathode for High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Realizing a Li2S cathode having both high energy density and long lifespan requires an innovative cathode design that maximizes electrochemical performance and resists electrode deterioration. Herein, a high-loading Li2S-based cathode that micrometric Li2S particles are composited with two-dimensional graphene (Gr) and one-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the compacted geometry is developed and the role of CNTs for stable cycling of high-capacity Li-S batteries is emphasized. In a dimensionally combined carbon matrix, CNTs embedded within the Gr sheets create robust and sustainable electron diffusion pathways while suppressing the passivation of the active carbon surface. As for a unique point, during the first charging process, the proposed cathode is fully activated through the direct conversion of Li2S to S8 without the extent of incurring lithium polysulfide formation. The direct conversion of Li2S to S8 in the composite cathode is ubiquitously investigated using the combined study of in situ Raman spectroscopy, in situ optical microscopy, and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. The composite cathode demonstrates unprecedented electrochemical properties even with high Li2S loading of 10 mg cm–2; particularly, the practical and safe Li-S full cell coupled with graphite anode shows ultra-long-term cycling stability over 800 cycles.