Ni/Zn-Anchored/N-Doped Porous Carbon Microtubes Derived from Palm Threads for High-Performance Li–S Batteries

Nitrogen-doped porous carbon microtubes embedded with Ni/Zn catalytic sites (NiZn-NPCT) are constructed from palm threads and can be used as both a S cathodic host and a separator modifier for advanced lithium-sulfur batteries. NiZn-NPCT possesses unique interconnected porous tunnels and abundantly exposed active sites, which increase the affinity for lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) and thus inhibit the shuttle effect. The kinetic studies indicate that NiZn-NPCT can accelerate the redox transformation of sulfur species. The battery assembled with the NiZn-NPCT-modified separator achieves high initial discharge capacities of 1220 and 409.1 mAh g^-1 at 0.1C and 5C, respectively, with good cycling stability (418.1 mAh g^-1 after 500 cycles at 1C). In addition, with a higher sulfur/NiZn-NPCT mass ratio (9:1), the battery still exhibited high initial discharge capacities of 1234.4 (0.1C) and 551.3 mAh g^-1 (5C). This study offers an effective strategy to utilize renewable biomass with a unique microstructure and realize high-performance Li-S batteries.