Recent Advances in Molybdenum-Based Materials for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Energy Storage

Background:

• Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries offer higher theoretical energy density than lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).
• Key challenges hindering Li-S battery performance include sulfur's insulation, volume changes, lithium polysulfide (LiPS) dissolution, and lithium metal anode dendrite growth.
• These issues result in rapid capacity decay and poor cycling stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the recent advancements in molybdenum-based (Mo-based) materials for Li-S battery applications.
• To highlight the design strategies and performance improvements achieved using various Mo-based materials.
• To discuss the current challenges and future research directions in this field.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of Mo-based materials applied in Li-S batteries.
• Analysis of material properties such as conductivity, lithiophilicity, LiPS capture, and catalytic activity.
• Categorization of Mo-based materials including oxides, dichalcogenides, nitrides, carbides, phosphides, and metal.

Main Results:

• Mo-based materials demonstrate significant potential in mitigating LiPS shuttling and improving Li anode stability.
• Various Mo-based materials exhibit enhanced conductivity, strong LiPS interaction, and catalytic conversion capabilities.
• Incorporation of Mo-based materials leads to improved cycling performance and capacity retention in Li-S batteries.

Conclusions:

• Mo-based materials are highly effective functional components for advanced Li-S battery designs.
• Further research is needed to overcome existing challenges and fully realize the potential of Mo-based materials in commercial Li-S batteries.