Advances in the Development of Single-Atom Catalysts for High-Energy-Density Lithium-Sulfur Batteries

Although lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are promising next-generation energy-storage systems, their practical applications are limited by the growth of Li dendrites and lithium polysulfide shuttling. These problems can be mitigated through the use of single-atom catalysts (SACs), which exhibit the advantages of maximal atom utilization efficiency (approximate to 100%) and unique catalytic properties, thus effectively enhancing the performance of electrode materials in energy-storage devices. This review systematically summarizes the recent progress in SACs intended for use in Li-metal anodes, S cathodes, and separators, briefly introducing the operating principles of Li-S batteries, the action mechanisms of the corresponding SACs, and the fundamentals of SACs activity, and then comprehensively describes the main strategies for SACs synthesis. Subsequently, the applications of SACs and the principles of SACs operation in reinforced Li-S batteries as well as other metal-S batteries are individually illustrated, and the major challenges of SACs usage in Li-S batteries as well as future development directions are presented.