Boosting electrochemical kinetics of S cathodes for room temperature Na/S batteries

Due to the low cost and high energy density, the room temperature (RT) Na/S battery system is deemed as one of the best potential en-ergy-storage systems. However, various issues still severely hinder its practical applications, especially the shuttle effect caused by sol-uble sodium polysulfides (NaPSs) and the low conversion efficiency of S-8 and Na2S2/Na2S in S cathodes. Recently, various strategies were adopted into RT-Na/S batteries to boost the electrochemical kinetics of S cathodes, which are capable of significantly acceler-ating (or altering) the redox process and mitigating the shuttle effect of S cathodes. Herein, the representative works have been systematically reviewed, with emphasis on the roles of carbon -based hosts, covalent S composites, catalytic metal-modified hosts, and other functional components. Furthermore, the future chal-lenges and research directions for the S cathodes have also been prospected in detail to provide guideline for the development of RT-Na/S batteries.

Automated summary

Room temperature (RT) Na/S battery system is considered as one of the best energy storage systems due to its low cost and high energy density, but it still faces issues such as shuttle effect and low conversion efficiency. Various strategies have been adopted to enhance the electrochemical kinetics of S cathodes in RT-Na/S batteries, aiming to accelerate the redox process and mitigate the shuttle effect.