@article {49495,
	title = {Unlocking enhanced redox dynamics: the power of a bifunctional catalytic zinc phosphide interface in full cell and pouch lithium-sulfur batteries},
	journal = {ACS Applied Materials \& Interfaces},
	volume = {17},
	year = {2025},
	month = {JAN},
	pages = {7657-7669},
	type = {Article},
	abstract = {<p>
	Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries face significant challenges, such as polysulfide dissolution, sluggish reaction kinetics, and lithium anode corrosion, hindering their practical application. Herein, we report a highly effective approach using a zinc phosphide (ZnP2) bifunctional catalyst to address these issues. The ZnP2 catalyst effectively anchors lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), catalytically reactivates them, and enhances lithium-ion diffusion. Utilizing a ZnP2-modified separator in a Li-S half-cell achieves an impressive initial capacity of 1145.4 mAh g-1, retaining 954 mAh g-1 and 99.8\% Coulombic efficiency after 100 cycles, compared to the pristine separator. The underlying reaction mechanisms are thoroughly investigated through post-mortem analyses and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Moreover, a Li-S full cell with an E/S ratio of 10 mu L mg-1 demonstrates stable cycling performance, achieving an initial capacity of 797.5 and 534 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.1C, with a negative-to-positive mass ratio of 3:1. Additionally, the real-world feasibility of lightweight and flexible Li-S pouch batteries with ZnP2-modified separators is explored, showing a stable performance over 100 cycles at 0.1C with 80\% capacity retention. This engineered separator can be integrated with advanced sulfur cathodes to create high-energy-density, stable Li-S batteries for commercial applications.</p>
},
	keywords = {catalytic interlayer, full cell, lithium dendrite, lithium sulfur battery, polysulfide shuttling, pouchcell},
	issn = {1944-8244},
	doi = {10.1021/acsami.4c17192},
	author = {Das, Anoushka K. and Yadav, Poonam and Verma, Tushar S. and Marulasiddappa, Thripuranthaka and Krishnamurty, Sailaja and Shelke, Manjusha V.}
}
