Nanostructured Host Materials for Trapping Sulfur in Rechargeable Li–S Batteries: Structure Design and Interfacial Chemistry

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are considered as a promising candidate for next-generation energy-storage devices due to their high energy density, low cost, and ecofriendliness. However, the practical application of Li–S batteries faces challenges arising from the cathode, the electrolyte, and the anode, including the intrinsically low conductivity of sulfur and lithium sulfide (Li₂S), the high solubility of polysulfides in the electrolytes commonly used, and the dendrite growth of metallic lithium anodes. In recent years, much effort has been made to improve the performance of Li–S batteries by modifying the cathode, host material, binder, electrolyte, membrane, anode, and cell configuration. Here, the focus is on the cathode aspect, and the design and surface modification of nanostructured host materials for sulfur and Li₂S are investigated in detail.