Tungsten Disulfide Catalysts Supported on a Carbon Cloth Interlayer for High Performance Li-S Battery

The capacity limitations of insertion-compound cathodes has motivated interest in a sulfur cathode for a rechargeable battery cell with a metallic-lithium anode; but irreversible capacity loss owing to solubility of intermediate Li2Sx (x = 2-8) polysulfides in the organic-liquid electrolytes used has prevented practical application. A dual-function cathode structure consisting of layered tungsten disulfide (WS2) supported both on the cathode current collector and on a carbon cloth interlayer (CCl) gives excellent performance in a lithium half-cell by providing strong adsorption of the soluble Li2Sx on the WS2 with fast access to electrons from the current collector via a blocking carbon cloth interlayer.