Dual-Functional Electrodes for High-performance Lithium-Sulfur Cells

At present, the commercial application of LiS cells is impeded by many challenging issues, especially the shuttle effect of dissolved lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and severe dendritic growth. Applying a sole kind of host material owing dual functions, including inhibiting LiPSs dissolution/shuttling andguiding Li plating/stripping, has recently become a prospective solution. Currently, a systematic review of advanced dual-functional electrodes aiming at the cathode and anode side simultaneously is scarce. Herein, this review points at such dual-functional electrodes and summarizes the recent progress from the select host materials to designs. First, the rough challenges and ordinary solutions on the single side of the LiS cell are illustrated. Then, the potentials of different materials to dual-functional electrodes are discussed, such as carbon-based materials, single-atom catalysts (SACs), transition metal compounds (TMCs), heterostructure hybrids (HHs), and polymers. After that, the design methods for dual-functional electrodes with high performance are explored and summarized by slurry-coating and self-supporting (electrospinning (ES), 3D printing (3DP), solvent method (SM), chemistry vapor deposition (CVD) and vacuum filtration (VF)). Besides, the possibility of applying the dual-functional electrodes to other metal-sulfur cells is discussed. Finally, design principles and prospects in dual-functional electrodes for future research and commercial application are proposed as guidelines. This work points at dual-functional electrodes for LiS cells and summarizes the recent progress from the select host materials (carbon-based materials, single-atom catalysts, transition metal compounds, heterostructure hybrids, and polymers) to design methods (electrospinning, 3D printing, solvent method, chemistry vapor deposition, and vacuum filtration).image

Automated summary

This review summarizes the recent progress in the application of dual-functional electrodes in LiS cells, covering the selection of host materials and design methods. The potential of different materials, such as carbon-based materials, single-atom catalysts, transition metal compounds, heterostructure hybrids, and polymers, as dual-functional electrodes is discussed. The design principles and prospects for future research and commercial application are proposed.