@article{Dong2026, 
author = {Yutao Dong and Ziqian Jin and Jiyu Wang and Meili Wang and Shiyu Ma and Lifeng Han and Liangxin Fan and Yunlai Ren and Xin Li and Lixia Xie and Jianmin Zhang},
title = {Layered Ni-MOFs with dual-ligand modulation: A high-rate-performance sulfur host for enhanced catalytic activity in lithium-sulfur batteries},
year = {2026},
journal = {Nano Research},
volume = {19},
number = {5},
pages = {94908198},
keywords = {lithium-sulfur battery, metal-organic framework, synergistic catalysis, two-dimensional (2D) ultrathin host, linker defect},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.26599/NR.2025.94908198},
doi = {10.26599/NR.2025.94908198},
abstract = {Redox sluggishness and polysulfide dissolution in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries arise from weak host with polysulfides interactions. Herein, ligand defects are controllably engineered within a two-dimensional (2D) Ni-based metal-organic frameworks (Ni-MOFs) that is epitaxially grown on rGO to afford ultrathin composite nanosheets. By precisely modulating the molar ratio of terephthalic acid to salicylic acid during solvothermal synthesis, a series of Ni-MOFs/rGO composites (denoted NPS/rGO) are obtained. The defective architecture simultaneously exposes a high density of open coordination sites and establishes continuous Li-ion diffusion pathways. Notably, NPS-3/rGO exhibits maximal long-chain lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) chemisorption as quantified (ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis)) and fastest liquid–liquid and liquid–solid redox kinetics (symmetric-cell cyclic voltammograms (CV) and potentiostatic nucleation). When evaluated as a sulfur host in Li-S coin cells, the S@NPS-3/rGO cathode effectively suppresses polysulfide shuttling. Consequently, the NPS-3/rGO cathode delivers 1493.4 mAh·g−1 at 0.1 C, 683.6 mAh·g−1 at 2 C and less than 0.049% capacity decay per cycle over 750 cycles at 1 C, even at 3.72 mg·cm−2 and electrolyte/sulfur (E/S) ratio of 11.88 µL·mg−1, it retains 1002.8 mAh·g−1 at 0.1 C. This work highlights the potential of dual-ligand-modulated, ultrathin defective MOFs/carbon hybrids for high-rate, long-life Li-S batteries.}
}