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3D-Printed Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Interlayers for Spatially Modulating Lithium-Sulfur Reactions.
Zhilin Wu1, Jingkang Li1, Lixian Song1
1Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan, 621010, China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|September 16, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed a nitrogen-doped 3D carbon interlayer using 3D printing to overcome key challenges in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, improving performance and lifespan.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Energy Storage
Background:
- Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries face commercialization hurdles due to sluggish sulfur redox kinetics and polysulfide shuttling.
- Functional interlayers offer a promising strategy to enhance Li-S battery performance via advanced mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and fabricate a novel nitrogen-doped 3D carbon (3D-NC) functional interlayer for Li-S batteries.
- To address the limitations of sulfur cathodes by mitigating polysulfide shuttling and improving reaction kinetics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing technology to create the 3D-NC interlayer.
- Engineered a 3D architecture to provide active sites for sulfur and establish conductive networks.
- Investigated the interlayer's impact on polysulfide migration and sulfur conversion kinetics.
Main Results:
- The 3D-NC interlayer effectively mitigated polysulfide migration and optimized sulfur conversion kinetics.
- Li-S batteries with the interlayer achieved a capacity of 955.4 mA h g-1 at 0.2 C with 90.2% retention over 100 cycles at 3.0 mg cm-2 sulfur loading.
- High sulfur loading (8.3 mg cm-2) and lean electrolyte (5.0 µL mg-1) conditions yielded a remarkable areal capacity of 6.0 mA h cm-2 and favorable lifespan.
Conclusions:
- The DIW-fabricated 3D-NC interlayer is a highly effective solution for enhancing Li-S battery performance.
- This approach significantly improves sulfur cathode utilization and battery durability, paving the way for practical Li-S battery commercialization.
