Nanostructure Engineering Strategies of Cathode Materials for Room-Temperature Na–S Batteries

Abstract

Room-temperature sodium−sulfur (RT Na−S) batteries are considered to be a competitive electrochemical energy storage system, due to their advantages in abundant natural reserves, inexpensive materials, and superb theoretical energy density. Nevertheless, RT Na−S batteries suffer from a series of critical challenges, especially on the S cathode side, including the insulating nature of S and its discharge products, volumetric fluctuation of S species during the (de)sodiation process, shuttle effect of soluble sodium polysulfides, and sluggish conversion kinetics. Recent studies have shown that nanostructural designs of S-based materials can greatly contribute to alleviating the aforementioned issues via their unique physicochemical properties and architectural features. In this review, we review frontier advancements in nanostructure engineering strategies of S-based cathode materials for RT Na−S batteries in the past decade. Our emphasis is focused on delicate and highly efficient design strategies of material nanostructures as well as interactions of component−structure−property at a nanosize level. We also present our prospects toward further functional engineering and applications of nanostructured S-based materials in RT Na−S batteries and point out some potential developmental directions.

Synergistically boosting the anchoring effect and catalytic activity of MXenes as bifunctional electrocatalysts for sodium–sulfur batteries by single-atom catalyst engineering

“…Therefore, next-generation rechargeable Na–S batteries hold significant promise for large-scale energy storage systems. 7–9…”

“…Therefore, next-generation rechargeable Na-S batteries hold significant promise for large-scale energy storage systems. [7][8][9] Currently, the development of Na-S batteries greatly lags behind the mature Li-S batteries and is still in the preliminary stage. The study of Na-S batteries originates from the 1960s, and its operating temperature has been gradually lowered from high-temperature (300-350 °C), 10 to intermediate-temperature (120-300 °C), 11 and room-temperature (RT, 25-35 °C) 12 which is much safer and could achieve higher energy density.…”

Gallate-MOF derived CoS2/C composites as an accelerated catalyst for room-temperature sodium–sulfur batteries

“…The large surface area alleviates the dissolution of NaPS intermediates via chemisorption. 12 CoS 2 /C showed a narrow pore size distribution in the range of 0.8–4 nm, suggesting the co-existence of micro- and mesopores. The high content of sulfur encapsulated in the micro- and mesoporous CoS 2 /C had high electrical activity resulting from the close contact between Na ions and electrons.…”

“…11 It is reported that single-atom Co and Co-based sulfides embedded in a carbon matrix derived from the MOF precursors are efficient hosts in RT Na–S battery cathodes. 12 Xiao and co-authors synthesized a polydopamine-coated Co-MOF derived mesoporous CoS 2 /NC cathode with excellent performance. 13 CoS 2 has been applied as a catalyst to weaken the S–S bond and promote the formation of insoluble short-chain polysulfides.…”

Aprotic Sulfur–Metal Batteries: Lithium and Beyond

“…However, Li-S is not the only aprotic sulfur-based battery chemistry currently in the spotlight in fundamental research worldwide: also Na-S, K-S, Mg-S, Ca-S, and Al-S battery chemistries are currently challenging the battery research field. ,,,,, To shed some light on this, the same comparative analysis outlined above for the Li-S case can be drawn also in these cases, thus highlighting the comparative merits of each battery chemistry. In Figure , the performance features and energy costs per active material mass are compared to the Li-ion and Li-S benchmarks, as well as the maximum volume variation suffered simultaneously by both active materials between charge/​discharge.…”