Graphene oxide/glucose-derived carbon composites as multiple effects hosts for lithium-sulfur batteries

Abstract This study used glucose as a carbon source, graphene oxide (GO) as a template, and surfactants to achieve the bonding effect, hydrothermal carbonization self-assembly into black-brown columnar carbon materials (GO/GC). Then the precursor carbon materials were etched with ZnCl₂ by chemical activation method to synthesize micro-mesoporous carbon materials (GO/GMMC). By melting diffusion method, carbon materials and sulfur are combined to form sulfur @ micro-mesoporous carbon composites (S@GO/GMMC composites). As the positive conductive skeleton of lithium-sulfur batteries, it has good electrical conductivity and can effectively block and adsorb polysulfides and inhibit the shuttle effect of polysulfides. Therefore, S@GO/GMMC composites show excellent electrochemical performance as a cathode for lithium-sulfur batteries. At 1 C, the initial discharge capacity of S@GO/GMMC composites is 1260 mAh g⁻ ¹, after 500 cycles, the discharge capacity remains 713 mAh g⁻ ¹.