Hierarchical and Porous Ni/TiO2/N-CNTs Artificial Interface Layer for Li-S Batteries
摘要
Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries, despite their high theoretical energy density, face critical challenges such as polysulfide shuttling and Li dendrite growth, which severely limit their practical viability. Herein, we report a hierarchical porous Ni/TiO2/N-carbon nanotube (CNT) artificial interface layer engineered with Ni@Ti nano-oxide composites to simultaneously address these issues. The Ni-Ti oxides were synthesized via electrodeposition followed by high-temperature crystallization (973–1173 K), yielding a hierarchical structure comprising NiTiO3 and TiO2 crystallites, as well as CNT domains. When integrated as an artificial interface layer, the Li-S battery maintains a discharge capacity of up to 1184.9 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles, demonstrating remarkable cycle stability. The Ni/TiO2/N-CNT artificial interface layer features ultrafine CNTs and abundant active sites, enabling efficient polysulfide adsorption and accelerated redox kinetics. Moreover, the Ni/TiO2/N-CNT artificial interface layer homogenizes Li-ion flux, guiding planar Li deposition and inhibiting dendrite growth. This work not only provides a scalable strategy for designing high-performance Li-S batteries but also advances the fundamental understanding of bimetallic oxide-mediated interface engineering, offering new avenues for next-generation energy storage systems.