Nanoreactor-Driven Uniform Nano ZnS Deposition in Tunable Porous Carbon Spheres for High-Performance Zn-S Batteries

Zn-S batteries have garnered widespread attention in recent years due to their higher safety and low cost. However, challenges such as incomplete sulfur redox reactions and the tendency of ZnS to agglomerate have impeded the continued advancement of high-performance Zn-S batteries. Hollow hierarchical porous carbon spheres (HCs) are designed as efficient sulfur hosts for Zn-S batteries. The tailored HCs, featuring optimized shell thickness, hierarchical porosity, facilitate uniform nano-ZnS deposition, and improve ion/electron transport, which are revealed by in situ impedance technology. This nano reactor design ensures highly reversible S-ZnS conversion, reducing internal polarization and mitigating structural degradation. Electrochemical tests demonstrate outstanding cycling stability, with minimal capacity decay (0.068%) over 500 cycles, and 463 mAh g^-1 reversible capacity at 5 A g^-1. Finite element simulations further confirm the effective stress dispersion of HCs, preserving electrode integrity. This work provides a promising strategy for developing high-performance Zn-S batteries.