Simple synthesis of Ni/high porosity biomass carbon composites with enhanced electrochemical performance of lithium–sulfur battery

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 832; p. 153692
• Main Authors: Xia, Pengtao, Lei, Weixin, Wang, Xuri, Luo, Zhenya, Pan, Yong, Ma, Zengsheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 15-08-2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Attenuation; Biomass; Charcoal; Composite materials; Electrochemical analysis; Electrode materials; Electroless nickel plating; Energy storage; High porosity biomass carbon; Lithium; Lithium sulfur batteries; Lithium-sulfur battery; Nanoparticles; Nickel nanoparticles; Pore formation; Porosity; Porous materials; Reaction kinetics; Sulfur; Electroless nickel plating; Lithium-sulfur battery; Nickel nanoparticles; High porosity biomass carbon
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.153692

Biomass charcoal with high porosity has been widely used in the field of energy storage materials. In this work, high-porosity biochar(HPBC) was prepared by a carbonization-activation method using a high-efficiency pore-forming agent KOH. The prepared HPBC was a porous material dominated by micropores and mesopores with a specific surface area of 2500 m2/g, and the pore volume of 1.18 cm3/g. Then, nickel nanoparticles were uniformly grown on the surface of HPBC via the electroless nickel plating to form HPBC/Ni. And finally, sublimed sulfur was introduced to prepare HPBC/Ni/S composites as cathode material for lithium sulfur battery. In this structure, HPBC can served as an efficient sulfur storage material, and nickel can be used to catalyze the reaction to enhance the reaction kinetics, while the two materials can also synergistically perform physicochemical adsorption of lithium polysulfide. The results showed that the prepared HPBC/Ni/S composite electrode has a first discharge capacity of 907.3 mAh/g at a rate of 0.5C. After 200 cycles, it still maintains 610.6 mAh/g, and the single-turn attenuation rate is only 0.16%.
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•High-porosity biochar(HPBC) was prepared by a carbonization-activation method using a high-efficiency pore-forming agent KOH.•The prepared HPBC was a porous material dominated by micropores and mesopores with a specific surface area of 2500 m2/g, and the pore volume of 1.18 cm3/g.•Nickel nanoparticles were uniformly grown on the surface of HPBC by the electroless nickel plating and it can be used to catalyze the reaction to enhance the reaction kinetics.•The prepared HPBC/Ni/S composite electrode has a first discharge capacity of 907.3 mAh/g at a rate of 0.5C. After 200 cycles, it still maintains 610.6 mAh/g, and the single-turn attenuation rate is only 0.16%.