3D Metal Carbide@Mesoporous Carbon Hybrid Architecture as a New Polysulfide Reservoir for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

3D metal carbide@mesoporous carbon hybrid architecture (Ti3C2Tx@Meso-C, T-X approximate to FxOy) is synthesised and applied as cathode material hosts for lithium-sulfur batteries. Exfoliated-metal carbide (Ti3C2Tx) nanosheets have high electronic conductivity and contain rich functional groups for effective trapping of polysulfides. Mesoporous carbon with a robust porous structure provides sufficient spaces for loading sulfur and effectively cushion the volumetric expansion of sulfur cathodes. Theoretical calculations have confirmed that metal carbide can absorb sulfur and polysulfides, therefore extending the cycling performance. The Ti3C2Tx@Meso-C/S cathodes have achieved a high capacity of 1225.8 mAh g(-1) and more than 300 cycles at the C/2 current rate. The Ti3C2Tx@Meso-C hybrid architecture is a promising cathode host material for lithium-sulfur batteries.