One-step electrochemical exfoliation-deposition of MnO2 anchoring on graphite nanosheets as an effective host material for high-performance sulfur cathode

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery with high energy density is a promising substitute for the conventional lithium-ion battery. However, the application of Li-S battery is limited by the low conductivity of sulfur and the diffusion of soluble intermediate polysulfide. To solve this issue, we have successfully prepared a graphite nanosheet/manganese dioxide (GN/MnO 2 ) composite as the sulfur host material by a one-step electrochemical exfoliation-deposition method. Combined with the high electrical conductivity of GN and the strong interaction between MnO 2 and polysulfide, the derived GN/MnO 2 /S cathode could exhibit superior electrochemical performance and high stability during the charge-discharge process. Even after 250 cycles, the GN/MnO 2 /S composite remained a stable discharge capacity of 493.5 mAh/g with the capacity retention of 68.5%.