Potential Cathode Research Articles

Effect of Sr doping on the potential cathode of Ba0.875Fe0.875Zr0.125O3 for proton-conducting fuel cells

The development of innovative cathode materials exhibiting high catalytic activity and good stability holds substantial significance for proton-conducting fuel cells (PCFCs). A Co-free Ba0.5Sr0.375Fe0.875Zr0.125O3-σ (BSFZ0.375) cathode material is designed and developed in this paper. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the oxygen vacancy formation energy and hydration energy of BSFZ0.375 are both lower than those of the potential cathode Ba0.875Fe0.875Zr0.125O3-δ (BFZ). The Sr doping can reduce the oxygen dissociation barrier at the material surface according to the Partial density of states (PDOS) result. BSFZ exhibits good chemical compatibility with BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O3-δ (BZCYYb) electrolyte and maintains good structural stability when exposed to air for 100 h at 550 °C. At 650 °C, the polarization impedance and maximum power density of single cell with BSFZ as cathode are 0.08 Ω cm2 and 572 mW cm⁻2, which improved a lot compared to parent BFZ cathode (0.13 Ω cm2 and 228 mW cm⁻2), respectively. At 650 °C and 1.3V, the single cell with BSFZ0.375 electrode electrolyzes pure water, achieving a current density of 0.6 A cm⁻2.

Polypyrrole-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Tubular Carbon Materials as a Promising Cathode for Aqueous Aluminum-Ion Batteries

The advantages of aluminum-ion batteries in the area of power source systems are: inexpensive manufacture, high capacity, and absolute security. However, due to the limitations of cathode materials, the capacity and durability of aluminum-ion batteries ought to be further advanced. Herein, we synthesized a nitrogen-doped tubular carbon material as a potential cathode to achieve advanced aqueous aluminum-ion batteries. Nitrogen-doped tubular carbon materials own an abundant space (367.6 m2 g−1) for electrochemical behavior, with an aperture primarily concentrated around 2.34 nm. They also exhibit a remarkable service lifespan, retaining a specific capacity of 78.4 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 after 300 cycles. Additionally, from 2 to 300 cycles, the material achieves an appreciable reversibility (coulombic efficiency CE: 99.7%) demonstrating its excellent reversibility. The tubular structural material possesses a distinctive hollow architecture that mitigates volumetric expansion during charging and discharging, thereby preventing structural failure. This material offers several advantages, including a straightforward synthesis method, high yield, and ease of mass production, making it highly significant for the research and development of future aluminum-ion batteries.

ZnxMnO2/PPy Nanowires Composite as Cathode Material for Aqueous Zinc‐Ion Hybrid Supercapacitors

ABSTRACTOver the past decade, the extensive consumption of finite energy resources has caused severe environmental pollution. Meanwhile, the promotion of renewable energy sources is limited by their intermittent and regional nature. Thus, developing effective energy storage and conversion technologies and devices holds considerable importance. Zinc‐ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZISCs) merge the beneficial aspects of both supercapacitors and batteries, rendering them an exceptionally promising energy storage method. As an important cathode material for ZISCs, the tunnel structure MnO2 has poor conductivity and structural stability. Herein, the ZnxMnO2/PPy (ZMOP) electrode materials are prepared by hydrothermal method. Doping with Zn2+ is used to enhance its structural stability, while adding polypyrrole to improve its conductivity. Therefore, the fabricated ZMOP cathode presents superb specific capacity (0.1 A g−1, 156.4 mAh g−1) and remarkable cycle performance (82.6%, 5000 cycles, 0.2 A g−1). Furthermore, the assembled aqueous ZISCs with ZMOP cathode and PPy‐derived porous carbon nanotube anode obtain a superb capacity of 109 F g−1 at 0.1 A g−1. Meanwhile, at a power density of 867 W kg−1, the corresponding energy density can achieve 20 Wh kg−1. And over 5000 cycles at 0.2 A g−1, the cycle performance of ZISCs maintains at 86.4%, which exhibits excellent cycle stability. This suggests that ZMOP nanowires are potential cathode materials for superior‐performance aqueous ZISCs.

Basics and Advances of Manganese-Based Cathode Materials for Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries.

It is greatly crucial to develop low-cost energy storage candidates with high safety and stability to replace alkali metal systems for a sustainable future. Recently, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have received tremendous interest owing to their low cost, high safety, wide oxidation states, and sophisticated fabrication process. Nanostructured manganese (Mn)-based oxides in different polymorphs are the potential cathode materials for the widespread application of ZIBs. However, Mn-based oxide materials suffer from several drawbacks, such as low electronic/ionic conductivity and poor cycling performance. To overcome these issues, various structural modification strategies have been adopted to enhance their electrochemical activity, including phase/defect engineering, doping with foreign atoms (e.g., metal and/or nonmetal atoms), and coupling with carbon materials or conducting polymers. Herein, this review targets to summarize the advantages and disadvantages of the above-mentioned strategies to improve the electrochemical performance of the cathodic part of ZIBs. The challenges and suggestions for the development of manganese oxides for ZIBs are put forward.

Structural Regulation of P2‐Type Layered Oxide with Anion/Cation Codoping Strategy for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

AbstractP2‐type layered transition metal oxides are potential cathodes for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs), but they commonly suffer from severe capacity degradation owing to multiple phase transitions and Na+/vacancy ordering during the extraction/insertion process. An anionic/cationic co‐doping strategy at high sodium contents is proposed to effectively achieve high‐rate and long‐term stability of P2‐Na0.67Ni0.33Mn0.67O2. The resulting Na0.75Mg0.1Ni0.23Mn0.67O1.95F0.05 (NMNMOF) cathode delivers a reversible capacity of 116 mAh g−1 at 75 mA g−1 and maintains an initial capacity of 73% at 1500 mA g−1 after 1000 cycles. The Mg/F anionic/cationic co‐doping strategy impacts the local environment of the surrounding transition metal and oxygen, regulates the electron distribution, and modifies the initial diffusion state of Na sites, enhancing the diffusion ability of Na+. Moreover, the phase transition of P2‐O2 is well suppressed and the decrease in Mn3+ content greatly alleviates the Jahn–Teller effect to enhance structural stability. The full‐cell devices with NMNMOF cathode and hard carbon anode demonstrate a high capacity of 80 mAh g−1 at 10 C and an excellent cycle life of over 500 cycles for applications. The anionic/cationic co‐doping strategy will inspire the rational design of P2‐type layered oxides and provide a new perspective for advanced SIBs.

Fulgide Derivatives as Photo-Switchable Coatings for Cathodes of Lithium Ion Batteries - A DFT Study.

Photo-switchable coatings for lithium ion batteries (LIB) can offer the possibility to control the diffusion processes from the electrode materials to the electrolyte and thus, for example, reducing the energy loss in the fully charged state. Fulgide derivatives, as known photo-switches, are investigated concerning their use as coating for vanadium pentoxide, a potential cathode material for LIB. With the help of Density Functional Theory calculations, two fulgide derivatives are characterized with respect to their photophysics, their aggregation behaviour on the cathode material and the ability to form self-assembled monolayers (SAM). Furthermore, the two states of the photo-switchable coating are tested with respect to lithium diffusion from the cathode material, passing the SAM and entering the electrolyte. We found a difference for the energy barriers depending on the state of the photo-switch, preferring its closed form. This behaviour can be used to prevent the loss of charge in batteries of portable devices.

Comprehensive study on lithium-ion battery cathode LiNixCoyMn1-x-yO2 as an air electrode for protonic ceramic fuel cells

The protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) exhibits a remarkable high-energy conversion efficiency and significant application potential at low temperatures. In this context, the layered ternary lithium-ion batteries (LIB) material, LiNixCoyMn1-x-yO2 (LNCM), is explored as a potential cathode for PCFCs. Utilizing density functional theory (DFT) calculations, we have conducted a comprehensive analysis of oxygen vacancies, hydration energy, density of states, and other pertinent properties to evaluate these ternary materials. Both theoretical and experimental findings suggest that LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 (LNCM523) may offer the optimal performance as a PCFCs cathode. Notably, after calcination in air at 700 °C for 100 h, LNCM523 displayed no phase transition or the emergence of new phases. The impedance of LNCM523, measured on a BaZr0.1Ce0.7Y0.1Yb0.1O3-δ (BZCYYb) electrolyte, is 0.225 Ω cm2 at 650 °C. At this temperature, the peak power density of the single cell reaches 355 mW cm−2. Moreover, during a 100-h stability test conducted at 550 °C, the output performance of the single cell remained unaltered. In electrolysis mode, at 650 °C and 1.3 V, the current density for electrolysis water attained 1.75 A cm−2. Based on these promising results, LNCM emerges as a viable cathode candidate for PCFCs.

Azopyridine Aqueous Electrochemistry Enables Superior Organic AZIBs.

Azo compounds (AZO), such as azobenzene, are classic organic electrode materials featuring a redox potential close to Zn/Zn2+. Recent studies show that azobenzene could work as a cathode in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), providing a voltage output of around 0.7 V. However, the energy storage mechanism of AZO cathodes in AZIBs remains unclear, and their practical usage in AZIBs is hindered by the low voltage. In this study, azopyridine isomers, the hydrophilic analogues of azobenzene, were adopted as cathodes for AZIBs, and the energy storage mechanism was unveiled through aqueous electrochemical studies. Through in situ electrochemical characterizations and theoretical computations, we reveal that both the electron-withdrawing effect of the pyridyl group and the H+-involved -N = N-/-NH-NH- redox reaction uplift the redox potential of the azopyridine cathodes. These findings led to the first AZO-based AZIB, providing a voltage output of 1.4 V. The proposed air-stable AZIBs deliver a high energy/power density and a capacity of around 200 mAh g-1. This work discovers different azopyridine electrochemistry in aqueous and organic electrolytes and enabling AZIBs to outperform its competitors from the AZO family.

Pre-inserting Mn2+/Zn2+ into NaV6O15 nanorods as high-stable and long lifespan cathodes for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

Vanadium-based compounds, characterized by diverse crystal structures, exhibit high theoretical capacities, and are regarded as potential cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Despite this, their development has been hindered by the sluggish diffusion of zinc ions and inadequate structural stability. In this study, we fabricated a stable monoclinic NaV6O15 nanorod via a simple hydrothermal synthesis. Mn2+ or Zn2+ ions are introduced into the crystal lattice to augment the interlayer spacing of NaV6O15, thereby enhancing the diffusion kinetics of Zn2+ ions. After pre-intercalating guest ions (Mn2+/Zn2+), the material experiences a morphological evolution from nanorods to nanobelts, which correlates with an expansion of the specific surface area and a proliferation of electrochemically active sites. This morphological alteration is associated with a marked enhancement in reversible capacity, reaching 278.1, 340.4, and 363.9 mAh/g for NVO, MNVO, and ZNVO, respectively, at 0.2 A/g. Furthermore, pre-intercalating guest ions not only expanded the interlayer spacing but also conferred structural robustness, leading to a pronounced enhancement in Zn2+ mobility and cyclability. Remarkably, the ZNVO cathode demonstrated a capacity retention of 118.4 % after 5000 cycles at a high current density of 5 A/g. Additionally, ex-situ XRD and XPS analyses elucidate that the Zn2+ storage in ZNVO is governed by the Zn2+ insertion/de-insertion mechanism. Our research offers a paradigm for the development of cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Suppressing vacancies and crystal water of sodium manganese iron-based Prussian blue analogue by potassium doping for advanced sodium-ion batteries

Sodium manganese iron-based Prussian blue analogue (MnFe-PBAs) is regarded as potential cathode material for sodium-ion batteries due to its simple synthesis process, low production cost, and high theoretical capacity. Unfortunately, electrochemical performances of MnFe-PBAs are inevitably hindered owing to the crystal vacancies and crystal water produced from aqueous co-precipitation process. Herein, highly crystallized cubic potassium-doped sodium manganese iron-based Prussian blue analogue is synthesized by a modified co-precipitation method. By introducing a larger ionic radius potassium (K) to substitute the part of Na in the MnFe-PBAs, a coexistence composite of sodium and potassium phases is obtained with less crystal water and fewer vacancies compared with pure sodium phase compound, resulting that potassium-doped sodium manganese iron-based Prussian blue analogue (Na1.08K0.74Mn[Fe(CN)6]0.86⋅□0.14⋅1·.86H2O, NaKMHCF) can deliver high discharge specific capacity (129.3 mAh/g at 10 mA g−1), excellent rate performance (82.3 mAh/g at 1500 mA g−1) as well as high cycling stability (77.0 % capacity retention at 500 mA g−1 after the 500th cycle). Besides, the full cell, based on NaKMHCF as cathode material and sodium titanium phosphate (NTP) as anode material, confirms its potential as high-performance cathode material for SIBs.

Local Electronic Structure Regulation Enabling Fluorophosphates Cathode with Improved Redox Potential and Reversible Capacity for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Mn-based fluorophosphates have attracted much attention as cathodes for sodium-ion batteries owing to their high cost effectiveness, considerable capacity, and stable framework. However, the fascinating Mn3+/2+ redox couple suffers from inadequate activation due to the Mn-O covalent character and poor electronic conductivity, impeding its further applications. Herein, a local electronic structure regulation strategy is proposed to improve the Mn3+/2+ redox potential and reversible capacity simultaneously through introducing elements with low-energy 3d orbitals to expand the energy gap between the eg orbitals and Fermi energy of Na. Moreover, the 3d element substitution serves to narrow the band gap toward the improved intrinsic electronic conductivity. In comparison with pristine Na2Fe0.45Mn0.55PO4F, the as-prepared Na2Fe0.45Mn0.4V0.1PO4F cathode achieves an increase from 3.5 to 3.6 V in the high-voltage platform and an improvement in energy density from 330 to 361 Wh kg-1. This work inspires new ideas in adjusting the redox potential of polyanionic cathodes through deliberate regulation of the local electronic structure.

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes decorated ɛ-MnO2 nanoflowers cathode with oxygen defect for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

As a potential cathode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries, the low electrical conductivity and poor electrochemical kinetics of MnO2 limit its further development and application. Herein, multiwalled carbon nanotubes decorated MnO2 nanoflowers with hexagonal structure (ɛ-MnO2/MWCNTs) were synthesized by one-step co-precipitation method. The ɛ-MnO2/MWCNTs inherit the advantages of highly conductive MWCNTs and nanostructured MnO2, thus showing excellent zinc-ion storage capacity. The ɛ-MnO2/MWCNTs display high invertible capacity of 335.6 mAh/g at 0.2 A/g after 150 cycles, and long-term capacity of 115.7 mAh/g at 2.0 A/g after 4000 cycles. The results of kinetics tests further reveal that the MWCNTs decoration can reduce polarization of MnO2 and accelerate its reaction kinetics. Thanks to these merits, the ɛ-MnO2/MWCNTs hold great potential for high performance eco-friendly batteries cathode material.

Structural and Electrochemical Characterisation of NBZFO Cobalt-Free Cathode Material for Intermediate-Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: An Experimental Investigation

Compared to other energy-generating technologies and energy conversion devices, intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs) have gained significant attention from energy experts due to its high energy density, moderate operating temperature (600–800°C), low emissions and reliability. Enhancing the performance of IT-SOFCs requires suitable and excellent cathode materials. Thus, a perovskite-type Nd0.5Ba0.5Zr0.8Fe0.2O3+δ (NBZFO) material was synthesised via traditional solid-state reaction technique and analysed as a potential cathode material for IT-SOFCs. Analysis of X-ray diffraction data (XRD) revealed a single-phase perovskite material that crystallises in cubic space group (pm-3m). The thermal and electrochemical properties were analysed with the aid of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). NBZFO has an electrical conductivity in air of 80 S cm−1 at 400°C and a polarisation resistance (Rp) of 0.106 Ω cm2 at 800°C. TGA reveals a slight loss in weight of about 0.58%, thereby suggesting a highly stable cathode material for IT-SOFC. Electrochemical investigation shows that NBZFO has good electronic and ionic conductivity and excellent oxygen stichometry. Further studies are required to understand the effects of varying B-site composition of the cathode material.

Low-crystalline 1T/2H-MoSe2 heterostructure as the high-rate and ultra-long-lifespan cathode materials for magnesium ion batteries

Two-dimensional layered-like materials are attracted extensive attention to be the potential cathode materials for magnesium ion batteries because of the wide layer distances and high capacities. Whereas such strong interaction between bivalent Mg2+ and layered cathode materials is prone to cause the slow diffusion kinetics, and irreversible electrochemical reaction, finally bringing about the low specific capacity and inferior rate capability. Meanwhile, limited by the inherent crystal structure of MoSe2 and unsuitable electrolyte, the magnesium storage properties are not ideal. Herein, the low-crystalline 1T/2H-MoSe2 heterostructure (LC-MoSe2) is synthesized via one-step hydrothermal method. Such low-crystalline feature of LC-MoSe2 and MgCl+ in the electrolyte significantly decrease the Mg2+ diffusion barrier, and largely promote the Mg2+ diffusion kinetics. The rich heterogeneous interfaces in the 1T/2H-MoSe2 boost the electron/ion transfer kinetics and endow plentiful active sites for the Mg2+ storage. As expected, the LC-MoSe2 exhibits a high discharge capacity (257.4 mAh g−1/0.5 A g−1/200 cycles) and stable long-span cyclic life of 2000/1000 loops even at 2/5 A g−1, distinctly transcending those of relatively high-crystalline MoSe2 (HC-MoSe2). Such electrode can also surprisingly cycle at an ultra-high rate of 10 A g−1. Meanwhile, the charge transfer/ion diffusion kinetics along with charge storage mechanism of LC-MoSe2 are carried out by various kinetics strategies from experimental and theoretical aspects. The reaction mechanism has also been discussed by some ex-situ characterization techniques. The remarkable Mg2+ storage properties of LC-MoSe2 cathode materials provide new ideas for the long-run development of MIBs.

Enhancing quantum capacitance in BNyne/Graphene heterostructures through transition-metal dopants for high-performance supercapacitors

Using Density functional theory (DFT), we investigated the charge storage capacity, quantum capacitance (CQ), geometry and electronic structures of BNyne/graphene heterostructures (BNyneGHs), as well as the impact of transition-metal dopants on their CQ. Our results showed that doping was more effective than vacancy defects in improving the CQ of BNyneGHs. Ti-doped BNyneGHs exhibited the highest CQ value of 360.08 μF/cm2, making them ideal positive electrode materials for supercapacitors (SCs). The presence of doping agents was found to enhance the density of states (DOS) around the Fermi level, resulting in improved CQ. Our calculations identified potential cathode or anode materials for high-energy-density SCs, providing theoretical support for the design of high-capacitance SCs.

Ultra-high rate performance of single-crystalline NMC cathodes enabled by a TEP-based electrolyte

Harnessing the full potential of Ni-rich single-crystal cathodes (LiNixMnyCo1-x-yO2, NMC) for next-generation high-energy lithium batteries is hindered by their slow reaction kinetics and susceptibility to interfacial decay. Our research introduces a novel strategy utilizing triethyl phosphate (TEP) and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) to optimize the Li+ solvation environment, lowering the coordination number and diminishing the energy threshold for Li+ transport. Mechanistic studies indicate that this intervention not only accelerates the Li+ transfer at the electrode/electrolyte interface but also catalyzes the development of a robust LiF-rich CEI layer. As a result, the single-crystal NMC83 cathode exhibits remarkable high-rate discharge capacities of approximately 209 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and 192 mAh g−1 at 0.5 C. The robust CEI layer also mitigates parasitic reactions, substantially improving the cycle life, with capacity retention increasing from 46.1 % to 88.2 % after 300 cycles at 1 C. This work underscores the transformative impact of solvation sheath engineering on the interfacial dynamics of single-crystal cathodes, paving the way for more durable and efficient energy storage solutions.

Mn-deficient ZnMn2O4/Zn0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4 cathode for enhancing structural reversibility and stability of zinc-ion batteries

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries have surfaced as a viable energy storage technology due to their safety, eco-friendliness, and cost-effectiveness. Binary zinc manganite oxide (ZnMn2O4 or ZMO) stands out as the potential cathode material owing to its considerable theoretical capacity and high operating voltage. However, high electrostatic repulsion of Zn2+ ions within ZMO leads to sluggish diffusion and poor reversibility of Zn2+ ions insertion/extraction that can reduce charge storage and overall cycling performance. This study addresses this challenge by introducing FeCl3 during the synthesis to form ZMO/Zn0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4 (ZMFO) cathode material. This cathode features Mn-deficient structures, which can reduce the electrostatic repulsion via low Mn occupancies and lattice parameters enlargement, thus facilitating Zn2+ ions diffusion. Ex-situ X-ray diffraction analyses further show that the cathode is able to maintain good structural reversibility during the charge-discharge cycles. Additionally, the ZMO/ZMFO cathode exhibits smaller particle sizes than pristine ZMO, providing a wider surface area. The presence of ZMFO with a large unit cell volume can also enhance Zn storage capacity and accelerate Zn2+ ions kinetics. Highlighting those advantages, aqueous zinc-ion batteries with ZMO/ZMFO cathode show a capacity of ~230 mAh g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 and retain 99 % of its initial capacity at 0.2 A g−1 after 200 cycles of charge-discharge.

Multiple enhancement effects of dipoles within polyimide cathode promoting highly efficient energy storage of lithium-ion batteries

Polyimide (PI) has been recognized as a potential organic cathode for Li-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its programmable structural design, high theoretical capacity, and resource availability. However, the poor intrinsic electrical conductivity of PI means that PI-based cathodes of LIBs have inefficient energy storage performance, especially at high current densities. In this work, the molecular structure of PI is optimized to obtain a layer-stacked crystalline PI with significantly enhanced dipoles, denoted NT-B for the first time. The dipoles in this PI are induced by the electronegative carbonyl groups from the monomer biuret and further enhanced via a π-π layer stacking effect. This work is the first to verify that the co-directional dipole enhancement effect of biuret is surprisingly different from that of monomer urea. A series of ex-situ/in-situ and theoretical DFT simulations are carried out to understand the functional mechanism of such effects. The multiple enhancement effects of the dipoles synergistically promoting the generation of a strong built-in electric field (BIEF) within NT-B are proposed based on the results obtained. It is confirmed that this BIEF plays a significant role in accelerating electron transport, which enhances the electrochemical activity of LIB cathodes. This work provides a new idea for the structural design of high-performance PI cathodes for LIBs.

"Water-in-Salt" Electrolyte Suppressed MnVOPO4·2H2O Cathode Dissolution for Stable High-Voltage Platform and Cycling Performance for Aqueous Zinc Metal Battery.

Vanadium-based materials have the advantages of abundant valence states and stable structures, having great application potential as cathode materials in metal-ion batteries. However, their low voltage and vanadium dissolution in traditional water-based electrolytes greatly limit their application and development in aqueous zinc metal batteries (AZMBs). Herein, phosphate- and vanadium-based cathode materials (MnVOPO4·2H2O) with stacked layers and few defects were prepared via a condensation reflux method and then combined with a high-concentration electrolyte (21 m LiTFSI + 1 M Zn(CF3SO3)2) to address these limitations. The specific capacity and cycle stability accompanying the stable high voltage of 1.39 V were significantly enhanced compared with those for the traditional electrolyte of 3 M Zn(CF3SO3)2, benefiting from the suppressed vanadium dissolution. The cathode materials of MnVOPO4·2H2O achieved a high specific capacity of 152 mAh g-1 at 0.2 A g-1, with a retention rate of 86% after 100 cycles for AZMBs. A high energy density of 211.78 Wh kg-1 was also achieved. This strategy could illuminate the significance of electrolyte modification and provide potential high-voltage cathode materials for AZMBs and other rechargeable batteries.

Lithium–sulfur batteries beyond lithium-ion counterparts: reasonable substituting challenges, current research focus, binding critical role, and cathode designing

Abstract Despite concerns regarding safety, economics, and the environment, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are considerably utilized on account of their low energy density and capacity. Li–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have become a promising substitute for LIBs. Here, we first compared both systems in their cons and pros and analyzed the leading countries and companies in Li–S research are assessed through the utilization of an academic database. The scope of our research includes performance-enhancing design elements, cathode components, and binder materials. Synthetic and natural binders are trialed in an effort to enhance Li–S performance. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms enables the development of durable cathodes and binders. To overcome obstacles such as polysulfide adsorption, shuttle effect, and ion transport limitations, conducting polymers, metal/metal oxides, carbon-based compounds, MOFs, and Mxenes are investigated as potential cathode materials. In addition to pore characteristics and active polar sites, the efficacy of a battery is influenced by the anode surface geometry and heteroatom doping. Our review indicates that binders and sulfur/host composites must be meticulously chosen for Li–S battery cathode materials. This research advances energy storage technology by establishing the foundation for economically viable lithium–sulfur batteries with superior performance.