A Conductive Ni2P Nanoporous Composite with a 3D Structure Derived from a Metal–Organic Framework for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Graphical Cathode materials : A 3D conductive nanoporous polar composite has been constructed as a host material for a lithium/sulfur battery; this material dramatically enhances the reaction kinetics and deepens the reaction depth under a high areal loading mass of sulfur (see figure). Sulfur cathodes have attracted significant attention as next-generation electrode material candidates due to their considerable theoretical energy density. The main challenge in developing long-life Li–S batteries is to simultaneously suppress the shuttle effect and high areal mass loading of sulfur required for practical applications. To solve this problem, we have designed a novel nickel phosphide nanoporous composite derived from metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as sulfur host materials. Homogeneous distribution of Ni 2 P nanoparticles significantly avoids soluble polysulfides migrating out of the framework through strong chemical interactions, and the conductive 3D skeleton offers an accelerating electron transport. As a result, S@Ni 2 P/NC has exhibited an enhanced performance of 1357 mAh g −1 initially at 0.2 C (1 C=1675 mA g −1 ) and remaining at 946 mAh g −1 after 300 cycles. Even at an areal mass loading of sulfur as high as 4.6 mg cm −2 , the electrode still showed an excellent specific capacity of 918 mAh g −1 .