Effect of Antagonistic Binder–Catalyst Interactions on Catalytic Activity in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are a promising next-generation energy storage solution, as they can reduce reliance on critical transition metals while offering high energy densities. However, their deployment is hindered by low sulfur utilization and the formation/diffusion of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). While transition-metal catalysts and polymeric binders have been independently developed to enhance redox kinetics and LiPS adsorption, their mutual compatibility has remained largely unexplored. We show here that binder-catalyst interactions can significantly impact catalytic performance. Employing TiO₂ as a generic catalyst, the electrochemical performance is shown to depend strongly on the binder environment. TiO₂ paired with lithiated polyacrylic acid (LiPAA) shows benign interactions, resulting in enhanced cycle life. In contrast, pairing TiO₂ with protonated PAA produces antagonistic interactions that hinder Li₂S growth. A mechanistic analysis unveils that the carboxylic H atom in PAA promotes COO⁻ coordination to Ti sites, occupying catalytic centers and suppressing LiPS adsorption, increasing charge transfer and diffusion resistances. This phenomenon is observed across multiple catalysts, indicating that COOH-functionalized binders may broadly hinder catalytic activity. Overall, this study underscores the need for holistic cathode design and identifies binder-catalyst compatibility as an important parameter for high-performance Li-S batteries.