Single-Atom Cobalt Supported on Nitrogen-Doped Three-Dimensional Carbon Facilitating Polysulfide Conversion in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have demonstrated catalytic efficacy toward lithium polysulfide conversion in Li-S batteries. However, achieving high-density M-N x sites with rational design by a simple method is still challenging to date. Herein, an ultrathin porous 3D carbon-supported single-atom catalyst (SACo/NDC) is synthesized with a salt-template strategy via a facile freeze-drying and one-step pyrolysis procedure and serves well as a sulfur host. The well-defined 3D carbon structure can effectively alleviate volume stress and confine polysulfides inside. Moreover, the dispersed Co-N x sites exhibit strong chemical adsorption function and valid catalytic efficiency to LiPSs redox conversion. As a result, the SACo/NDC cathodes display enhanced long-term cycling stability and better rate capability.