Graphene Sandwiched by Sulfur-Confined Mesoporous Carbon Nanosheets: A Kinetically Stable Cathode for Li-S Batteries

The practical use of lithium-sulfur batteries for the next-generation energy storage, especially the automobiles, was hindered by low electronic conductivity of sulfur and the resulting poor rate capabilities. Here, we report a sulfur-carbon composite by confining S into a graphene sandwiched in mesoporous carbon nanosheets with a two-dimensional ultrathin morphology, suitable mesopore size and large pore volume, and excellent electronic conductivity. Serving as cathode material for a Li-S battery, the elaborately designed S/C composite leads to "kinetically stable" transmissions of Li ions and electrons, triggering a stable electrochemistry and a record-breaking rate performance. In this way, the S/C composite has been proved a promising cathode material for high-rate Li-S batteries targeted at automobile storage.