Co single-atom catalyst on ordered macro–microporous structure as separator for Li-S battery

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries have attracted significant attention due to their high theoretical energy density, low cost and environmental friendliness, which are considered one of the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage devices. However, the sluggish kinetics associated with sulfur oxidation–reduction reactions and the detrimental shuttle effect caused by lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) significantly impacts the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries. In this work, Co single-atom catalyst (Co_SAC-NC) on an ordered macro-microporous structure are designed, and the catalyst are coated onto 2325 separator. The ordered micro-microporous structure of Co_SAC-NC enhances the interaction with LiPSs and provide reservoir for LiPSs. Secondly, the highly exposed Co-N_x configuration active sites can effectively anchor LiPSs and promotes their rapid conversion. This work significantly improves the utilization efficiency of the cathode, resulting in an exceptionally low-capacity decay rate of just 0.043 % per cycle over 1000 cycles at 1 C.