Multifunctionality of Carbon-based Frameworks in Lithium Sulfur Batteries

Compared with conventional lithium ion batteries (LIBs), lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries possess advantages such as higher theoretical energy densities and better cost efficiencies, making them promising next-generation energy storage systems. However, the commercialization of Li-S batteries is impeded by several drawbacks, including low cycling stabilities, limited sulfur utilizations, existing shuttle effects of polysulfide intermediates, serious safety concerns, as well as inferior cycling performances of lithium metal anodes. To address these issues, researchers have achieved rapid developments for sulfur cathodes and increased their attention to lithium metal anodes to facilitate the widespread application of Li-S batteries. And among the substrate materials for electrodes in Li-S batteries being developed, carbon-based materials have been especially promising because of their multifunctionality, demonstrating great potential for application in advanced energy storage and conversion systems. In this review, recent advancements of carbon-based frameworks applied to Li-S batteries will be summarized and diverse utilization methods of these carbon-based materials for both sulfur cathodes and lithium metal anodes will be provided. Future research directions and the prospects of Li-S batteries with high performance and practicability will also be discussed.