Efficient entrapment and catalytic conversion of lithium polysulfides on hollow metal oxide submicro-spheres as lithium-sulfur battery cathodes.

Li-S battery technology, with high theoretical capacity and energy density, has drawn much attention in recent years as a possible replacement for current Li-ion battery technologies. A major drawback of Li-S batteries is a severe capacity fading effect which, to a large extent, stems from the dissolution and diffusion of lithium polysulfides (LiPS) that are formed during both charge and discharge cycles. The self-discharge caused by the LiPS migration during the charge process (the so-called "shuttle effect") often leads to the capacity decay of Li-S batteries.

Quasi-zero-dimensional cobalt-doped CeO dots on Pd catalysts for alcohol electro-oxidation with enhanced poisoning-tolerance.

Deactivation of an anode catalyst resulting from the poisoning of CO-like intermediates is one of the major problems for methanol and ethanol electro-oxidation reactions (MOR & EOR), and remains a grand challenge towards achieving high performance for direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs). Herein, we report a new approach for the preparation of ultrafine cobalt-doped CeO dots (Co-CeO, d = 3.6 nm), which can be an effective anti-poisoning promoter for Pd catalysts towards MOR and EOR in alkaline media.