Copyright Interesting Engineering
Researchers in South Korea have achieved a breakthrough that can lead to safer and more efficient batteries, quickening the transition to clean energy and paving the way for a more sustainable future. They proposed a metal–organic framework-engaged dual-level engineering strategy to fabricate a hierarchical porous carbon nanofiber with low-coordinated single-atom catalysts. Much higher theoretical capacity and energy density “Lithium sulfur batteries offer much higher theoretical capacity and energy density, yet they are severely restricted by the polysulfide shuttle effect, slow redox kinetics, and rapid capacity fading,” said Seung-Keun Park from the Department of Advanced Materials Engineering. “Our group has long been committed to overcoming these bottlenecks by combining structural engineering of carbon frameworks with atomic-level catalyst design.” The research team revealed that carbon-supported single-atom catalysts with metal-N moieties are highly promising for lithium–sulfur batteries. They can enhance redox kinetics and suppress the dissolution of lithium polysulfides. However, carbon substrate structure optimization and catalyst coordination environment modulation must be done simultaneously to maximize the potential of these catalysts, according to study published in Advanced Fiber Materials. Dual‑level engineering of metal–organic framework Taking on this challenge, the team showcased dual‑level engineering of metal–organic framework (MOF)‑derived hierarchical porous carbon nanofibers for high‑performance lithium–sulfur batteries. This strategy integrates both macro- and micro-level designs, resulting in a hierarchical pore structure that enhances ionic conductivity and electrolyte wettability, while providing highly active, low-coordinated Co–N3 moieties for efficient LiPS adsorption and conversion. Researchers focused on embedding single cobalt atoms in a low-coordinated N3 environment within a porous carbon nanofiber network. This approach enhances the adsorption of lithium polysulfides and accelerates their redox reactions, thereby mitigating the shuttle effect and improving overall kinetics. Therefore, the present work supports the belief that rational materials design at both the macro and atomic levels can solve long-standing challenges, according to a press release. Realization of high-performance lithium sulfur batteries The research team revealed that the results of this study could contribute to the realization of high-performance lithium sulfur batteries for diverse real-life applications. These include electric vehicles with extended driving ranges, large-scale renewable energy storage systems that can balance intermittent solar and wind power, and lightweight, flexible power sources for portable and wearable electronics. “Our material is free standing, binder free, and flexible. It can be directly applied as an interlayer in pouch cells and has been demonstrated to maintain mechanical integrity even under bending, while powering small devices,” said Dr. Nam, highlighting the immense practical implications of their work. Safer and more efficient batteries For society, such advances mean safer and more efficient batteries that accelerate the transition to clean energy. This can reduce dependence on critical raw materials, lower costs, decrease carbon emissions, and ultimately make sustainable technologies more reliable and accessible in everyday life, as per the release. The research team also underlined that the proposed dual-level engineering strategy integrates a hierarchical porous carbon nanofiber structure with atomically dispersed cobalt single-atom sites in a low-coordinated N3 configuration.
