Two-in-one integrated sulfur cathode with multifunctional multiwalled carbon nanotube/polyacrylic acid film for high -performance lithium sulfur batteries

[Display omitted] •An integrated sulfur cathode was fabricated with the MWCNT/PAA composite film.•The MWCNT/PAA film could support the successful electron/Li+ transport and effective polysulfides restriction.•The integrated sulfur cathode shows the superior electrochemical properties than the conventional sulfur cathode. Lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries with high energy density are the promising candidates for the new generation energy storage devices. However, the application of Li-S batteries has been hindered by the poor conductivity of sulfur, polysulfides diffusion, and unsatisfactory practical gravimetric energy density. Herein, the lightweight multiwalled carbon nanotube/polyacrylic acid (MWCNT/PAA) composite film was developed, which could combine functions of the current collector and conductive interlayer into one composite film, to realize the integrated sulfur cathode with successful sufficient electron transport and strong polysulfides adsorption. As a result, the cathode could deliver not only improved cycle performance but also a higher discharging capacity based on the total electrode mass, demonstrating the promising application of the two-in-one integrated sulfur cathode in high-performance Li-S batteries.