LAUSR

Abstract Lithium/sulfur battery (LSB) is considered as one of the most promising battery systems due to its high energy density of 2600 Wh kg−1. Nevertheless, the LSB suffers from some inherent problems that impede its practical application. To circumvent these problems, we grow carbon-coated ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles on graphene (Fe3O4@C-G) as an effective sulfur host for LSB via a facile hydrothermal method followed by calcination. Highly conductive graphene is utilized to homogeneously deposit the carbon-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@C), which enable rapid and steady long-distance electron transport. Moreover, the carbon coated particles of Fe3O4@C exhibit a developed micro-mesoporous structure, which not only provide space for sulfur loading to prepare a composite Sulfur/carbon-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles on graphene (S/Fe3O4@C-G) cathode, but also provide channels for the interaction between Fe3O4 and lithium polysulfides. Furthermore, a strong chemical affinity of Fe3O4 nanoparticles coated by micro-mesoporous carbon layers towards polysulfides can be strengthened through the polar-polar interaction. Owning these advantages, the S/Fe3O4@C-G composite cathode deliver a high initial capacity of 1425 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C and maintain a capacity of 1102 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles.