Promoting electrochemical reactions with dual-atom catalysts for high-rate lithium–sulfur batteries
Sulfur cathodes offer a promising solution for high-energy-density, cost-effective, and sustainable energy storage. However, their practical application is limited by sluggish and complex multistep sulfur redox reactions (SRRs), involving both electrochemical and chemical processes. Herein, it is de...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2026 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositorio: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/449831 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/449831 https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adma.202511345 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Carbon nitride Dual-atom catalysts Electrocatalysts Lithium sul¿de nucle-ation Lithium–sulfur batteries Polysul¿des Single-atom catalysts Sulfurcathodes Sulfur reduction reaction Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria dels materials |
| Sumario: | Sulfur cathodes offer a promising solution for high-energy-density, cost-effective, and sustainable energy storage. However, their practical application is limited by sluggish and complex multistep sulfur redox reactions (SRRs), involving both electrochemical and chemical processes. Herein, it is demonstrated that accelerating electrochemical processes, particularly Li2S nucleation, over competing chemical pathways is fundamental to minimizing sulfur loss and achieving high-rate performance. To this end, a scalable and cost-effective strategy is presented for synthesizing a series of 3d transition metal–bismuth (TM–Bi) atomic pairs anchored on carbon nitride (CN) and investigate their potential to activate SRRs in lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). An initial screening identifies Ni–Bi/CN and Co–Bi/CN as highly effective in improving rate performance. Detailed analysis shows these catalysts promote direct electrochemical transitions and rapid Li2S nucleation over competing chemical reactions, enabling high charge–discharge rates while preventing active material loss and enhancing stability. Electrochemical analysis, density functional theory, and operando spectroscopy reveal that TM-Bi pairing shifts d-band states closer to the Fermi level and modulates HOMO–LUMO levels, promoting lithium polysulfide (LiPS) interaction and facilitating efficient charge transfer. These findings offer valuable insights for designing advanced catalysts for LSBs and broader electrocatalytic applications. |
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