Activated porous carbons originated from the Indonesian snake skin fruit peel as cathode components for lithium sulfur battery

Activated porous carbons originating from the Indonesian snake skin fruit peel has been prepared by carbonization process followed by the ZnCl2 activation process. This porous carbon was then applied as cathode component along with sulfur in lithium sulfur (Li–S) batteries. The carbon materials possessed a high surface area of 2247 m2 g−1 and a large pore volume of 1.97 cm3 g−1 with sulfur loading of 63%. From the x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, Raman analysis, and SEM observation of the composites, it was shown that the sulfur was uniformly encapsulated inside the carbon pores, which was beneficial for the optimum utilization of sulfur and the confinement of soluble lithium polysulfides. The fabricated carbon-sulfur composite electrodes demonstrated an initial specific capacity of 945 mAh g−1 and good capacity retention until the 100th cycle at 0.1 C rate. At high C rate (1 and 2 C), the composite electrodes exhibited specific discharge capacity of 538 and 466 mAh g−1 until the 100th cycle, respectively. Those excellent electrochemical performances were attributed to the high surface area, combination of micropore/mesopore structures and low average pore diameter of porous carbons.