Transition Metal Ion Chemically Induced Interface Resistant to Li Polysulfide Corrosion on the Li Metal Anode for Li–S Batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery systems are universally recognized as frontrunners in next-generation energy storage owing to their energy densities exceeding 2600 Wh kg⁻¹. Nevertheless, their practical implementation remains constrained by severe Li metal anode degradation caused by polysulfide shuttle mediated corrosion, which drastically decreases achievable energy densities. This work pioneers an innovative interfacial engineering strategy leveraging transition metal ion synergies to fundamentally address this challenge. Through chemically induced anion modulation, nickel species spontaneously reconfigure into a protective solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) at Li surfaces. This engineered inorganic-dominant architecture demonstrates dual functionality that effectively passivates polysulfide-induced electrochemical corrosion and dramatically curtails electrolyte decomposition kinetics. Remarkably, even in LiNO₃-free configurations, the optimized system achieves exceptional cycling stability (76.4% capacity retention). These findings establish a paradigm-shifting framework for developing practically viable high energy density Li-S systems through a rational interface design.