Co3O4 modified graphene aerogel for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Abstract

Designing a sulfur host material that possesses rapid sulfur redox kinetics and effectively curtails the shuttle effect, while maintaining desirable gravimetric performance, represents a formidable hurdle in the development of practical lithium-sulfur batteries. Herein, 3D Co₃O₄/graphene aerogel composite was synthesized via a facile one-pot hydrothermal method. The composite combines the advantages of graphene aerogel's lightweight, high conductivity and Co₃O₄ nanowires' high catalytic activity and adsorption capacity. Hence the lithium-sulfur cell with prepared host material exhibited excellent electrochemical performance, with a reversible capacity of 1075 mAh g^-1 at 0.1 C, a high rate capacity of 177 mAh g^-1 at 2 C and a long-term capacity retention of 46% after 500 cycles.