linear fragments could be formed. The fraction of γ-sulfur increased with an increased electrical conductivity and the amount of intrinsic defects of the initial carbon hosts. While an increase in the former could be directly linked to thermal conductivity, the defectous carbon likely binds to sulfur, helping to form and stabilize monoclinic crystals. Confinement effects further contributed to stabilizing metastable sulfur allotropes by physically limiting mobility and retarding phase transitions. Although amorphous sulfur was also formed during fast cooling, higher fractions of γ-sulfur were detected in the crystalline phase, especially in most conductive carbons. These findings highlight a complex interplay among carbon chemistry, microstructure, and electronic properties affecting the formation and stabilization of γ-sulfur and provide insights into sulfur-carbon interactions for designing advanced sulfur-based carbon materials.
Pauletto et al. (Tue,) studied this question.