Recent advances of polar transition-metal sulfides host materials for advanced lithium–sulfur batteries

Lithium sulfur batteries (LSBs) have been one of the most promising second batteries for energy storage. However, the commercialization of LSBs is still hindered by low sulfur utilization and poor cycling stability, resulting from shuttle effect and low redox kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). Significant progress has been made over the years in enhancing the batteries performances and tap density with the transition-metal sulfides as sulfur host or additive in LSBs. In this review, we present the recent advances in the use of various nanostructured transition-metal sulfides applied in LSBs, and also focus on the interaction mechanisms of polar transition-metal sulfides with LiPSs and its catalysis for the redox of LiPSs. It may provide avenues for the application of transition-metal sulfides in LSBs. The challenges and perspectives of transition-metal sulfides are also addressed.