A facile synthesis of stable titanium carbide-decorated carbon nanofibers as electrocatalytic membrane for high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium polysulfide shuttle effect and their sluggish redox kinetics have seriously affected the development of lithium-sulfur (Li–S) batteries. To solve these issues, freestanding titanium carbide-modified carbon nanofibers (TiC/CNFs) electrocatalytic membrane for Li–S batteries is prepared by facile vacuum filtration method with commercial CNFs and TiC nanoparticles. CNFs provide fast pathways for electron transfer and lithium ion diffusion, promote the catalytic conversion, and restrain the shuttle effect. TiC nanoparticles are decorated on the surface of the CNFs, play a role in adsorbing, and catalyze the conversion of lithium polysulfides. Due to advantage structure, TiC/CNFs@Li 2 S 6 electrode (sulfur loading, 4.74 mg) exhibits excelled cycling stability (initial discharge capacity, 879 mAh g −1 ; 758 mAh g −1 at 0.2 C over 200 cycles). The above results provide an effective route for high performance of Li–S batteries.