Insights into Carbon-Based Aerogels Toward High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: A Review of Strategies for Sulfur Incorporation Within Carbon Aerogel Frameworks

Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs), possessing excellent theoretical capacities, advanced theoretical energy densities, low cost, and nontoxicity, are one of the most promising energy storage battery systems. However, some issues, including poor conductivity of elemental S, the “shuttle effect” of high...

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Main Authors: Yue Gao, Dun Liu, Yi Zhao, Dongdi Yang, Lugang Zhang, Fei Sun, Xiaoxiao Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Gels
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/7/516
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author Yue Gao
Dun Liu
Yi Zhao
Dongdi Yang
Lugang Zhang
Fei Sun
Xiaoxiao Wang
author_facet Yue Gao
Dun Liu
Yi Zhao
Dongdi Yang
Lugang Zhang
Fei Sun
Xiaoxiao Wang
author_sort Yue Gao
collection DOAJ
description Lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs), possessing excellent theoretical capacities, advanced theoretical energy densities, low cost, and nontoxicity, are one of the most promising energy storage battery systems. However, some issues, including poor conductivity of elemental S, the “shuttle effect” of high-order lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), and sluggish reaction kinetics, hinder the commercialization of LSBs. To solve these problems, various carbon-based aerogels with developed surface morphology, tunable pores, and electrical conductivity have been examined for immobilizing sulfur, mitigating its volume variation and enhancing its electrochemical kinetics. In this paper, an extensive generalization about the effective preparation methods of carbon-based aerogels comprising the combined method of carbonization with the gelation of precursors and drying processes (ambient pressure drying, freeze-drying, and supercritical drying) is proposed. And we summarize various carbon carbon-based aerogels, mainly including graphene aerogels (Gas) and carbon nanofiber (CNF) and carbon nanotube (CNT) aerogels as cathodes, separators, and interlayers in LSBs. In addition, the mechanism of action of carbon-based aerogels in LSBs is described. Finally, we conclude with an outlook section to provide some insights into the application of carbon-based aerogels in electrochemical energy storage devices. Based on the discussion and proposed recommendations, we provide more approaches on nanomaterials in high-performance liquid or state LSBs with high electrochemical performance in the future.
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spelling doaj-art-eedbef5e8bf94cd8a433722244131eab2025-08-20T03:58:30ZengMDPI AGGels2310-28612025-07-0111751610.3390/gels11070516Insights into Carbon-Based Aerogels Toward High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: A Review of Strategies for Sulfur Incorporation Within Carbon Aerogel FrameworksYue Gao0Dun Liu1Yi Zhao2Dongdi Yang3Lugang Zhang4Fei Sun5Xiaoxiao Wang6Collage of Food Science and Technology, Wuhan Business University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaState Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Textile Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, ChinaCollage of Food Science and Technology, Wuhan Business University, Wuhan 430056, ChinaState Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Textile Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, ChinaEngineering Research Center of Technical Textile, Ministry of Education, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, ChinaCollege of Textile Science and Engineering (International Institute of Silk), Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, ChinaState Key Laboratory of New Textile Materials and Advanced Processing Technologies, School of Textile Science and Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan 430200, ChinaLithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs), possessing excellent theoretical capacities, advanced theoretical energy densities, low cost, and nontoxicity, are one of the most promising energy storage battery systems. However, some issues, including poor conductivity of elemental S, the “shuttle effect” of high-order lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), and sluggish reaction kinetics, hinder the commercialization of LSBs. To solve these problems, various carbon-based aerogels with developed surface morphology, tunable pores, and electrical conductivity have been examined for immobilizing sulfur, mitigating its volume variation and enhancing its electrochemical kinetics. In this paper, an extensive generalization about the effective preparation methods of carbon-based aerogels comprising the combined method of carbonization with the gelation of precursors and drying processes (ambient pressure drying, freeze-drying, and supercritical drying) is proposed. And we summarize various carbon carbon-based aerogels, mainly including graphene aerogels (Gas) and carbon nanofiber (CNF) and carbon nanotube (CNT) aerogels as cathodes, separators, and interlayers in LSBs. In addition, the mechanism of action of carbon-based aerogels in LSBs is described. Finally, we conclude with an outlook section to provide some insights into the application of carbon-based aerogels in electrochemical energy storage devices. Based on the discussion and proposed recommendations, we provide more approaches on nanomaterials in high-performance liquid or state LSBs with high electrochemical performance in the future.https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/7/516lithium-sulfur batterycarbon-based aerogelspolysulfidesshuttle effectreaction kinetics
spellingShingle Yue Gao
Dun Liu
Yi Zhao
Dongdi Yang
Lugang Zhang
Fei Sun
Xiaoxiao Wang
Insights into Carbon-Based Aerogels Toward High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: A Review of Strategies for Sulfur Incorporation Within Carbon Aerogel Frameworks
Gels
lithium-sulfur battery
carbon-based aerogels
polysulfides
shuttle effect
reaction kinetics
title Insights into Carbon-Based Aerogels Toward High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: A Review of Strategies for Sulfur Incorporation Within Carbon Aerogel Frameworks
title_full Insights into Carbon-Based Aerogels Toward High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: A Review of Strategies for Sulfur Incorporation Within Carbon Aerogel Frameworks
title_fullStr Insights into Carbon-Based Aerogels Toward High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: A Review of Strategies for Sulfur Incorporation Within Carbon Aerogel Frameworks
title_full_unstemmed Insights into Carbon-Based Aerogels Toward High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: A Review of Strategies for Sulfur Incorporation Within Carbon Aerogel Frameworks
title_short Insights into Carbon-Based Aerogels Toward High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries: A Review of Strategies for Sulfur Incorporation Within Carbon Aerogel Frameworks
title_sort insights into carbon based aerogels toward high performance lithium sulfur batteries a review of strategies for sulfur incorporation within carbon aerogel frameworks
topic lithium-sulfur battery
carbon-based aerogels
polysulfides
shuttle effect
reaction kinetics
url https://www.mdpi.com/2310-2861/11/7/516
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