Lignin Derived Free-Standing Sulfur Host Functionalized with MoS2 for Li-S Batteries.

Abstract

Lignin, a widely available natural polymer and sustainable biomass precursor, contains over 60 wt% carbon. However, its potential for producing high-value carbon-based materials and its application in energy-related areas remain largely underutilized. In this work, a green and scalable strategy is reported for constructing a free-standing carbon nanofiber (CNF) film by electrospinning using lignin as the carbon precursor, with uniformly embedded MoS₂ nanoparticles to endow integrated catalytic function. The resulting MoS₂/CNFs film exhibits excellent structural integrity, enabling its direct use as a binder-free and current-collector-free cathode framework for lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Furthermore, the embedded catalytic components can chemically adsorb lithium polysulfides and enhance sulfur redox reaction kinetics. As a result, Li-S cells with MoS₂/CNFs-based cathode demonstrate excellent cycling stability, maintaining a capacity of 609.3 mAh g^-1 after 200 cycles at 1C. This work highlights a promising approach for transforming low-cost lignin into multifunctional electrode materials, offering both structural robustness and catalytic activity for next-generation Li-S batteries.