Ferromagnetic and defect-rich Fe3O4-CC nanowires regulating Li2S deposition for stable lithium-sulfur batteries

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries with superior energy storage capabilities, stand out as the next-generation battery technology surpassing conventional lithium batteries. Unfortunately, the sluggish kinetics of the sulfur reaction and the uncontrollable deposition of insulated Li2S significantly limit the efficiency of the battery. In this work, a morphology control method was employed to modulate the intrinsic properties of iron oxide catalyst and accelerate the LiPSs conversion kinetics. The uniform distributed nanowire provides abundant nucleation sites for the effective deposition of 3D Li2S, providing high sulfur utilization and stable Li-S battery. In the action of intrinsic magnetic forces, the Fe3O4-CC fastens the redox reaction and alleviates the shuttle of LiPSs. The optimized Fe3O4-CC@S cathode exhibits high-capacity (5.9 mAh/cm2) with a high mass loading (5.6 mg/cm2) at 0.1C, as well as good cycle performance. This study highlights a novel strategy to stimulate high catalytic activity to enhance the conversion reaction of LiPSs, promoting the practical use of Li-S batteries as next-generation energy storage. [Display omitted] •The morphology control method was used to tune the electric and magnetic properties of ferromagnetic Fe3O4 nanowires.•Under the action of magnetic forces, Fe3O4-CC fastens the nucleation reaction of Li2S and mitigates the shuttle effect.•The uniformly distributed nanowire provides abundant nucleation sites for the effective growth and deposition of 3D Li2S.•Fe3O4-CC exhibits excellent specific capacity, rate capability and cyclic stability.