TiC-Integrated Porous Carbon Cloth Fiber for Cathode and Anode Engineering in High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries

Lithium–sulfur batteries, which have garnered significant attention due to their high theoretical energy density (2600 Wh/kg) and low cost, face critical challenges, including poor sulfur cathode conductivity, polysulfide shuttling, and lithium dendrite growth. Herein, a titanium carbide on carbon cloth (TiC/CC) with a porous fiber structure is synthesized through a rapid Joule heating method, which is employed as both sulfur and lithium metal substrates. The porous structure provides sufficient space for both lithium and sulfur deposition and endows TiC with a high specific surface area to reduce the local current density, thus suppressing lithium dendrite growth. Furthermore, the high conductivity of TiC/CC and the unique empty d-orbitals of Ti atoms also help to enhance the electrical conductivity of the sulfur cathode and anchor polysulfides, thus accelerating the reaction kinetics of sulfur and restraining the shuttle effect of polysulfides. As the results, the Li/TiC/CC anode demonstrates stable cycling for over 2000 h at 10 mA cm –2, while the assembled lithium–sulfur full batteries deliver initial capacity of 992.61 mAh g –1 and retain 631.17 mAh g –1 after 500 cycles at 0.2 C, showcasing superior electrochemical performance.