Carbon nitride grafted waste-derived carbon as sustainable materials for lithium–sulfur batteries

Abstract

The synthesis of a sustainable material through carbon nitride (C3N4) chemically grafted on waste-derived carbon including carbonizing coals (PM), melamine-urea-formaldehyde resins (MUF-C-1100), and luffa cylindrical sponges (SG), respectively, and its application as sulfur cathode in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries were demonstrated. The Li-S cell assembled by the sulfur (S) cathode with component from C3N4 grafted coal-derived carbon (PM-CN) possesses a specific capacity of 1269.8 mA h g−1 at 0.05 C. At 1 C, the initial specific capacity of PM cathode is only 380.0 mA h g−1, comparable to the PM-CN5 cathode of 681.9 mA h g−1, and PM-CN10 cathode of 580.7 mA h g−1, respectively. And, PM-CN 5 cathode presents the capacity retention of 75.9% with a coulomb efficiency (C.E.) of 97.3% after 200 cycles. The MUF-CN cathode gives a specific capacity of 1335.6 mA h g−1 at 0.05 C, and the capacity retention of 66.7% with a C. E. of 93.6% after 300 cycles at 0.5 C. The SG-CN cathode had a specific capacity of 953.9 mA h g−1 at 0.05 C, and capacity retention of 95.1% with a C. E. of 98.2% after 125 cycles at 1 C. The remarkable improved performances were mainly ascribed to the sustainable materials as S host with micro-meso pore and C3N4 structure providing the strong affinity N sites to lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). This work provides an attractive approach for the preparation of sustainable materials by rational design of grafting C3N4 to waste-derived carbons with functions as S cathode materials for high-performance Li-S batteries.

Insights on advanced g‐C3N4 in energy storage: Applications, challenges, and future

“…As a unique hollow tubular structure, Tg‐C 3 N 4 provided paths and active sites for ion migration. Jia et al 211 grafted carbon nitride onto waste‐derived carbon. Sulfur grafted with C 3 N 4 ‐derived carbon was applied to LSBs, exhibiting a specific capacity of 1269.8 mAh g −1 at 0.05 C. The performance improvement was mainly attributed to the material's micropores, C 3 N 4 as a sulfur carrier, and active sites on the surface.…”

Advances in Carbon Nitride-Based Materials and Their Electrocatalytic Applications

“…The wastederived carbons included melamine−urea−formaldehyde resins (MUF-C-1100), carbonizing coals (PM), and luffa cylindrical sponges (SG). The Li−S cell containing the sample cathodes exhibited improved activities in terms of the specific capacity, the capacity retention, and the Coulomb efficiency, which was predominantly attributed to the modified S hosts possessing micrometer meso pores and the high affinity of the N sites of C 200 DFT was applied to evaluate the ORR process on g-C 3 N 4 and the S-, O-, and P-doped g-C 3 N 4 surfaces. Accordingly, the reaction was determined to start with the adsorption of Li, the first atom of which was trapped on the substrates.…”

“…The Li–S cell containing the sample cathodes exhibited improved activities in terms of the specific capacity, the capacity retention, and the Coulomb efficiency, which was predominantly attributed to the modified S hosts possessing micrometer meso pores and the high affinity of the N sites of C 3 N 4 for lithium polysulfides. The S-PM-CN, MUF-CN, and SG-CN sample cathodes demonstrated specific capacities of 1269.8, 1335.6, and 953.9 mAh g –1 at 0.05 C together with capacity retentions of 75.9%, 66.7%, and 95.1% and Coulomb efficiencies of 97.3% after 200 cycles, 93.6% after 300 cycles at 0.5 C, and 98.2% after 125 cycles at 1 C, respectively . DFT was applied to evaluate the ORR process on g-C 3 N 4 and the S-, O-, and P-doped g-C 3 N 4 surfaces.…”

Fluorinated bamboo-structure carbon nanotubes: as attractive substrates for the cathodes of lithium–sulfur batteries

“…In the past years, researchers have produced various strategies to advance the electrochemical properties of Li-S batteries, most of which are about the modification of cathode materials [13][14][15][16]. The main research strategy is to compound sulfur with other conductive substrates, which can enhance the conductivity of the cathode and effectively utilize sulfur, thus increasing the battery capacity [17][18][19].…”