Electrochemically Active MoO3/TiN Sulfur Host Inducing Dynamically Reinforced Built-in Electric Field for Advanced Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Although various electrocatalysts have been developed to ameliorate the shuttle effect and sluggish Li-S conversion kinetics, their electrochemical inertness limits the sufficient performance improvement of lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). In this work, an electrochemically active MoO3/TiN-based heterostructure (MOTN) is designed as an efficient sulfur host that can improve the overall electrochemical properties of LSBs via prominent lithiation behaviors. By accommodating Li ions into MoO3 nanoplates, the MOTN host can contribute its own capacity. Furthermore, the Li intercalation process dynamically affects the electronic interaction between MoO3 and TiN and thus significantly reinforces the built-in electric field, which further improves the comprehensive electrocatalytic abilities of the MOTN host. Because of these merits, the MOTN host-based sulfur cathode delivers an exceptional specific capacity of 2520 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C. Furthermore, the cathode exhibits superior rate capability (564 mA h g-1 at 5 C), excellent cycling stability (capacity fade rate of 0.034% per cycle for 1200 cycles at 2 C), and satisfactory areal capacity (6.6 mA h cm-2) under a high sulfur loading of 8.3 mg cm-2. This study provides a novel strategy to develop electrochemically active heterostructured electrocatalysts and rationally manipulate the built-in electric field for achieving high-performance LSBs.

Immobilization and Catalytic Conversion of Polysulfide by In-Situ Generated Nickel in Hollow Carbon Fibers for High-Rate Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered promising energy-storage systems because of their high theoretical energy density, low cost, and eco-friendliness. However, problems such as the shuttle effect can result in the loss of active materials, poor cyclability, and rapid capacity degradation. The utilization of a structural configuration that enhances electrochemical performance via dual adsorption-catalysis strategies can overcome the limitations of Li-S batteries. In this study, an integrated interlayer structure, in which hollow carbon fibers (HCFs) were modified with in-situ-generated Ni nanoparticles, was prepared by scalable one-step carbonization. Highly hierarchically porous HCFs act as the carbon skeleton and provide a continuous three-dimensional conductive network that enhances ion/electron diffusion. Ni nanoparticles with superior anchoring and catalytic abilities can prevent the shuttle effect and increase the conversion rate, thereby promoting the electrochemical performance. This synergistic effect resulted in a high capacity retention of 582 mAh g-1 at 1 C after 100 cycles, providing an excellent rate capability of up to 3 C. The novel structure, wherein Ni nanoparticles are embedded in cotton-tissue-derived HCFs, provides a new avenue for enhancing electrochemical performance at high C rates. This results in a low-cost, sustainable, and high-performance hybrid material for the development of practical Li-S batteries.

Engineering d-p Orbital Hybridization with P, S Co-Coordination Asymmetric Configuration of Single Atoms Toward High-Rate and Long-Cycling Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) have been increasingly explored in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries to address the issues of severe polysulfide shuttle effects and sluggish redox kinetics. However, the structure-activity relationship between single-atom coordination structures and the performance of Li-S batteries remain unclear. In this study, a P, S co-coordination asymmetric configuration of single atoms is designed to enhance the catalytic activity of Co central atoms and promote d-p orbital hybridization between Co and S atoms, thereby limiting polysulfides and accelerating the bidirectional redox process of sulfur. The well-designed SACs enable Li-S batteries to demonstrate an ultralow capacity fading rate of 0.027% per cycle after 2000 cycles at a high rate of 5 C. Furthermore, they display excellent rate performance with a capacity of 619 mAh g-1 at an ultrahigh rate of 10 C due to the efficient catalysis of CoSA-N3PS. Importantly, the assembled pouch cell still retains a high discharge capacity of 660 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 0.2 C and provides a high areal capacity of 4.4 mAh cm-2 even with a high sulfur loading of 6 mg cm-2. This work demonstrates that regulating the coordination environment of SACs is of great significance for achieving state-of-the-art Li-S batteries.

High-Electrochemical-Activity Composite Cathode Enabled by Fast Segmental Relaxation for Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (SSLSBs) have attracted a great deal of attention because of their high theoretical energy density and intrinsic safety. However, their practical applications are severely impeded by slow redox kinetics and poor cycling stability. Herein, we revealed the detrimental effect of aggregation of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) on the redox kinetics and reversibility of SSLSBs. As a paradigm, we introduced a multifunctional hyperbranched ionic conducting (HIC) polymer serving as a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) and cathode binder for constructing SSLSBs featuring high electrochemical activity and high cycling stability. It is demonstrated that the unique structure of the HIC polymer with numerous flexible ether oxygen dangling chains and fast segmental relaxation enables the dissociation of LiPS clusters, facilitates the conversion kinetics of LiPSs, and improves the battery's performance. A Li|HIC SPE|HIC-S battery, in which the HIC polymer acts as an SPE and cathode binder, exhibits an initial capacity of 910.1 mA h gS-1 at 0.1C and 40 °C, a capacity retention of 73.7% at the end of 200 cycles, and an average Coulombic efficiency of approximately 99.0%, demonstrating high potential for application in SSLSBs. This work provides insights into the electrochemistry performance of SSLSBs and provides a guideline for SPE design for SSLSBs with high specific energy and high safety.

In-Situ Construction of Functional Multi-Dimensional MXene-based Composites Directly from MAX Phases through Gas-Solid Reactions.

The weak bonding of A atoms with MX layers in MAX phases not only enables the selective etching of A layers for MXene preparation but brings about the chance to construct A derivatives/MXene composites via in-situ conversion. Here, a facile and general gas-solid reaction systems are elegantly devised to construct multi-dimensional MXene based composites including AlF3 nanorods/MXene, AlF3 nanocrystals/MXene, amorphous AlF3/MXene, A filled carbon nanotubes/MXene, layered metal chalcogenides/MXene, MOF/MXene, and so on. The intrinsic effect mechanism of interlayer confinement towards crystal growth, catalytic behavior, van der Waals-heterostructure construction and coordination reaction are rationally put forward. The tight interface combination and synergistic effect from distinct components make them promising active materials for electrochemical applications. More particularly, the AlF3 nanorods/Nb2C MXene demonstrate bi-directional catalytic activity toward the conversion between Li2S and lithium polysulfides, which alleviates the shuttle effect of lithium-sulfur batteries.

Carbon Nanotube Supported Fluorine Substituted Iron Phthalocyanine Enabling Boosted Polysulfide Redox Conversion Kinetics and Cyclic Stability.

The sluggish transition and shuttle of polysulfides (LiPS) significantly hinder the application and commercialization of Li-S batteries. Herein, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) supported 10 nm sized iron Hexadecafluorophthalocyanine (FePcF16/CNTs) are prepared using a solid synthesis approach. The well-exposed FePcF16 molecular improve the LiPS capture efficiency and redox kinetics by its central Fe-N4 units and F functional groups. The strong electron withdraw F groups significantly promote the conjugate effect and decrease the steric hindrance during mass migration procedure. Distribution of relaxation time (DRT) analysis shows that the Fe-N4 units exhibit strong affinity towards LiPS and the F groups further improve the Li+ diffusion rate in Li2S nucleation and oxidation procedure, accomplishing a porous surface on cathode. As a result, the FePcF16/CNTs separator exhibits a high initial capacity of 1136.2 mAh g-1 at 0.2 C, outstanding rate capacity of 624.9 mAh g-1 at 5 C and superior long-term stability at 2 C surviving 300 cycles with a low capacity decay of 0.43‰ per cycle.

Unveiling the Reaction Mystery Between Lithium Polysulfides and Lithium Metal Anode in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are widely regarded as one of the most promising next-generation high-energy-density energy storage devices. However, soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) corrode Li metal and deteriorate the cycling stability of Li-S batteries. Understanding the reaction mechanism between LiPSs and Li metal anode is imperative. Herein, the reaction rate and products of LiPSs with Li metal anode, the composition and structure of the as-generated solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), and the mechanism of lithium nitrate (LiNO3) additives for inhibiting the corrosion reactions are systematically unveiled. Concretely, LiPSs react with Li metal anode more rapidly than Li salt and generate a Li2S-rich SEI. The Li2S-rich SEI is highly reactive with LiPSs, which exacerbates the formation of dendritic Li and the continuous corrosion of active Li. LiNO3 functions dominantly by modulating the solvation structure of LiPSs and inherently reducing the reactivity of LiPSs, rather than the conventional understanding of LiNO3 participating in the formation of SEI. This work reveals the reaction mechanism between LiPSs and Li metal anode and inspires rational regulating of the solvation structure of LiPSs for stabilizing Li metal anode in Li-S batteries.

Stabilization Strategies of Lithium Metal Anode Toward Dendrite-Free Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are considered as a most promising rechargeable lithium metal batteries because of their high energy density and low cost. However, the Li-S batteries mainly suffer the capacity decay issue caused by the shutting effect of lithium polysulfides and the safety issues arising from the Li dendrites formation. This review outlines the current issues of Li-S batteries. Furthermore, we comprehensively summarized the challenges encountered by Li anode in Li-S batteries, such as the heterogeneous deposition of the Li anode, the unstable solid electrolyte interface (SEI) layer, and volume expansion. Moreover, research progresses in the stabilization strategies of Li anodes (physical approaches, optimization of electrolyte, surface protection layer, and design of current collector) is discussed in detail. Lastly, the remaining challenges and future research directions of Li metal anode stabilization in Li-S batteries are also present.

Suppressing Surface Oxidation of Pyrite FeS2 by Cobalt Doping in Lithium Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur batteries have emerged as a promising energy storage device due to ultra-high theoretical capacity, but the slow kinetics of sulfur and polysulfide shuttle hinder the batteries' further development. Here, the 10% cobalt-doped pyrite iron disulfide electrocatalyst deposited on acetylene black as a separator coating in lithium-sulfur batteries is reported. The adsorption rate to the intermediate Li2S6 is significantly improved while surface oxidation of FeS2 is inhibited: iron oxide and sulfate, thus avoiding FeS2 electrocatalyst deactivation. The electrocatalytic activity has been evaluated in terms of electronic resistivity, lithium-ion diffusion, liquid-liquid, and liquid-solid conversion kinetics. The coin batteries exhibit ultra-long cycle life at 1 C with an initial capacity of 854.7 mAh g-1 and maintained at 440.8 mAh g-1 after 920 cycles. Furthermore, the separator is applied to a laminated pouch battery with a sulfur mass of 326 mg (3.7 mg cm-2) and retained the capacity of 590 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C after 50 cycles. This work demonstrates that FeS2 electrocatalytic activity can be improved when Co-doped FeS2 suppresses surface oxidation and provides a reference for low-cost separator coating design in pouch batteries.

Activating Redox Kinetics of Li2S via Cu+, I- Co-Doping Toward High-Performance All-Solid-State Lithium Sulfide-Based Batteries.

All-solid-state lithium sulfide-based batteries (ASSLSBs) have drawn much attention due to their intrinsic safety and excellent performance in overcoming the polysulfide shuttle effect. However, the sluggish kinetics of Li2S cathode severely impede commercial utilization. Here, a Cu+, I- co-doping strategy is employed to activate the kinetics of Li2S to construct high-performance ASSLSBs. The electronic conductivity and Li-ion diffusion coefficient of the co-doped Li2S are increased by five and two orders of magnitude, respectively. Cu+ as a redox medium greatly improves the reaction kinetics, which is supported by ex situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Density functional theory calculation (DFT) shows that Cu+, I- co-doping reduces the Li-ions diffusion energy barrier. The co-doped Li2S exhibits a remarkable improvement in capacity (1165.23 mAh g-1 (6.65 times that of pristine Li2S) at 0.02 C and 592.75 mAh g-1 at 2 C), and excellent cycling stability (84.58% capacity retention after 6200 cycles at 2 C) at room temperature. Moreover, an ASSLSB, fabricated with a lithium-free (Si─C) anode, obtains a high specific capacity of 1082.7 mAh g-1 at 0.05 C and 97% capacity retention after 400 cycles at 0.5 C. This work provides a broad prospect for the development of ASSLSBs with practical energy density exceeding that of traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Marine waste derived carbon materials for use as sulfur hosts for Lithium-Sulfur batteries.

Lithium-sulfur batteries are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries as they can potentially offer significantly increased capacities and energy densities. The ever-increasing global battery market demonstrates that there will be an ongoing demand for cost effective battery electrode materials. Materials derived from waste products can simultaneously address two of the greatest challenges of today, i.e., waste management and the requirement to develop sustainable materials. In this study, we detail the carbonisation of gelatin from blue shark and chitin from prawns, both of which are currently considered as waste biproducts of the seafood industry. The chemical and physical properties of the resulting carbons are compared through a correlation of results from structural characterisation techniques, including electron imaging, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and nitrogen gas adsorption. We investigated the application of the resulting carbons as sulfur-hosting electrode materials for use in lithium-sulfur batteries. Through comprehensive electrochemical characterisation, we demonstrate that value added porous carbons, derived from marine waste are promising electrode materials for lithium-sulfur batteries. Both samples demonstrated impressive capacity retention when galvanostatically cycled at a rate of C/5 for 500 cycles. This study highlights the importance of looking towards waste products as sustainable feeds for battery material production.

Fence-type Molecular Electrocatalysts for High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Improving the slow redox kinetics of sulfur species and shuttling issues of soluble intermediates induced from the multiphase sulfur redox reactions are crucial factors for developing the next-generation high-energy-density lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. In this study, we successfully constructed a novel molecular electrocatalyst through in situ polymerization of bis(3,4-dibromobenzene)-18-crown-6 (BD18C6) with polysulfide anions on the cathode interface. The crown ether (CE)-based polymer acts as a spatial "fence" to precisely control the unique redox characteristics of sulfur species, which could confine sulfur substance within its interior and interact with lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) to optimize the reaction barrier of sulfur species. The "fence" structure and the double-sided Li+ penetrability of the CE molecule may also prevent the CE catalytic sites from being covered by sulfur during cycling. This new fence-type electrocatalyst mitigates the "shuttle effect", enhances the redox activity of sulfur species, and promotes the formation of three-dimensional stacked lithium sulfide (Li2S) simultaneously. It thus enables lithium-sulfur batteries to exhibit superior rate performance and cycle stability, which may also inspire development facing analogous multiphase electrochemical energy-efficient conversion process.

Developing a Multifunctional Cathode for Photoassisted Lithium-Sulfur Battery.

Integration of solar cell and secondary battery cannot only promote solar energy application but also improve the electrochemical performance of battery. Lithium-sulfur battery (LSB) is an ideal candidate for photoassisted batteries owing to its high theoretical capacity. Unfortunately, the researches related the combination of solar energy and LSB are relatively lacking. Herein, a freestanding photoelectrode is developed for photoassisted lithium-sulfur battery (PALSB) by constructing a heterogeneous structured Au@N-TiO2 on carbon cloths (Au@N-TiO2/CC), which combines multiple advantages. The Au@N-TiO2/CC photoelectrode can produce the photoelectrons to facilitate sulfur reduction during discharge process, while generating holes to accelerate sulfur evolution during charge process, improving the kinetics of electrochemical reactions. Meanwhile, Au@N-TiO2/CC can work as an electrocatalyst to promote the conversion of intermediate polysulfides during charge/discharge process, mitigating induced side reactions. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of electrocatalysis and photocatalysis, PALSB assembled with an Au@N-TiO2/CC photoelectrode obtains ultrahigh specific capacity, excellent rate performance, and outstanding cycling performance. What is more, the Au@N-TiO2/CC assembled PALSB can be directly charged under light illumination. This work not only expands the application of solar energy but also provides a new insight to develop advanced LSBs.

Developing Cathode Films for Practical All-Solid-State Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The development of all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries (ASSLSBs) toward large-scale electrochemical energy storage is driven by the higher specific energies and lower cost in comparison with the state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. Yet, insufficient mechanistic understanding and quantitative parameters of the key components in sulfur-based cathode hinders the advancement of the ASSLSB technologies. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of electrode parameters, including specific capacity, voltage, S mass loading and S content toward establishing the specific energy (Wh kg-1) and energy density (Wh L-1) of the ASSLSBs. Additionally, this work critically evaluates the progress in enhancing lithium ion and electron percolation and mitigating electrochemical-mechanical degradation in sulfur-based cathodes. Last, a critical outlook on potential future research directions is provided to guide the rational design of high-performance sulfur-based cathodes toward practical ASSLSBs.

Vinyl-bearing sp2 carbon-conjugated covalent organic framework composites for enhanced electrochemical performance in hydrogen evolution reaction and lithium-sulfur batteries.

Vinyl-bearing triazine-functionalized covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have emerged as promising materials for electrocatalysis and energy storage. Guided by density functional theory calculations, a vinyl-enriched COF (VCOF-1) featuring a donor-acceptor structure was synthesized based on the Knoevenagel reaction. Moreover, the VCOF-1@Ru without pyrolysis was obtained through chemical coordination interactions between VCOF-1 and RuCl3, exhibiting enhanced electrocatalytic performance in the hydrogen evolution reaction when exposed to 0.5 M H2SO4. The results demonstrated that the protonation of VCOF-1@Ru enhanced the electrical conductivity and accelerated the generation of H2 on the catalytically active site Ru. Additionally, VCOF-1@CNT with a tubular structure was prepared by uniformly wrapping VCOF-1 onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and using it as a cathode for lithium-sulfur batteries by chemically and physically encapsulating S. The enhanced performance of VCOF-1@CNT was attributed to the effective suppression of lithium polysulfide migration. This suppression was achieved through several mechanisms, including the inverse vulcanization of vinyl on VCOF-1@CNT, the enhancement of material conductivity, and the interaction between N in the materials and Li ions. This study demonstrated a strategy for enhancing material performance by precisely modulating the COF structure at the molecular level.

Enabling Efficient Anchoring-Conversion Interface by Fabricating Double-Layer Functionalized Separator for Suppressing Shuttle Effect.

Lithium-sulfur batteries (LiSBs) with high energy density still face challenges on sluggish conversion kinetics, severe shuttle effects of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs), and low blocking feature of ordinary separators to LiPSs. To tackle these, a novel double-layer strategy to functionalize separators is proposed, which consists of Co with atomically dispersed CoN4 decorated on Ketjen black (Co/CoN4@KB) layer and an ultrathin 2D Ti3C2Tx MXene layer. The theoretical calculations and experimental results jointly demonstrate metallic Co sites provide efficient adsorption and catalytic capability for long-chain LiPSs, while CoN4 active sites facilitate the absorption of short-chain LiPSs and promote the conversion to Li2S. The stacking MXene layer serves as a microscopic barrier to further physically block and chemically anchor leaked LiPSs from the pores and gaps of the Co/CoN4@KB layer, thus preserving LiPSs within efficient anchoring-conversion reaction interfaces to balance the accumulation of "dead S" and Li2S. Consequently, with an ultralight loading of Co/CoN4@KB-MXene, the LiSBs exhibit amazing electrochemical performance even under high sulfur loading and lean electrolyte, and the outperforming performance for lithium-selenium batteries (LiSeBs) can also be achieved. This work exploits a universal and effective strategy of a double-layer functionalized separator to regulate the equilibrium adsorption-catalytic interface, enabling high-energy and long-cycle LiSBs/LiSeBs.

Optimized Adsorption-Catalytic Conversion for Lithium Polysulfides by Constructing Bimetallic Compounds for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Although lithium-sulfur batteries possess the advantage of high theoretical specific capacity, the inevitable shuttle effect of lithium polysulfides is still a difficult problem restricting its application. The design of highly active catalysts to promote the redox reaction during charge-discharge and thus reduce the existence time of lithium polysulfides in the electrolyte is the mainstream solution at present. In particular, bimetallic compounds can provide more active sites and exhibit better catalytic properties than single-component metal compounds by regulating the electronic structure of the catalysts. In this work, bimetallic compounds-nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NiCo)Se2-NCNT and (CuCo)Se2-NCNT are designed by introducing Ni and Cu into CoSe2, respectively. The (CuCo)Se2-NCNT delivers an optimized adsorption-catalytic conversion for lithium polysulfide, benefitting from adjusted electron structure with downshifted d-band center and increased electron fill number of Co in (CuCo)Se2 compared with that of (NiCo)Se2. This endows (CuCo)Se2 moderate adsorption strength for lithium polysulfides and better catalytic properties for their conversion. As a result, the lithium-sulfur batteries with (CuCo)Se2-NCNT achieve a high specific capacity of 1051.06 mAh g-1 at 1C and an enhanced rate property with a specific capacity of 838.27 mAh g-1 at 4C. The work provides meaningful insights into the design of bimetallic compounds as catalysts for lithium-sulfur batteries.

Flexible CNT-Interpenetrating Hierarchically Porous Sulfurized Polyacrylonitrile (CIHP-SPAN) Electrodes for High-Rate Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) Batteries.

Sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) is a promising cathode material for lithium-sulfur batteries owing to its reversible solid-solid conversion for high-energy-density batteries. However, the sluggish reaction kinetics of SPAN cathodes significantly limit their output capacity, especially at high cycling rates. Herein, a CNT-interpenetrating hierarchically porous SPAN electrode is developed by a simple phase-separation method. Flexible self-supporting SPAN cathodes with fast electron/ion pathways are synthesized without additional binders, and exceptional high-rate cycling performances are obtained even with substantial sulfur loading. For batteries assembled with this special cathode, an impressive initial discharge capacity of 1090 mAh g-1 and a retained capacity of 800 mAh g-1 are obtained after 1000 cycles at 1 C with a sulfur loading of 1.5 mg cm-2. Furthermore, by incorporating V2O5 anchored carbon fiber as an interlayer with adsorption and catalysis function, a high initial capacity of 614.8 mAh g-1 and a notable sustained capacity of 500 mAh g-1 after 500 cycles at 5 C are achieved, with an ultralow decay rate of 0.037% per cycle with a sulfur loading of 1.5 mg cm-2. The feasible construction of flexible SPAN electrodes with enhanced cycling performance enlists the current processing as a promising strategy for novel high-rate lithium-sulfur batteries and other emerging battery electrodes.

Synergistic restriction of polysulfides enabled by cobalt@carbon spheres embedded CNTs: A facile approach for constructing sulfur cathodes with high sulfur content.

Despite the bright fortune of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries as one of the next-generation energy storage systems owing to the ultrahigh theoretical energy density and earth-abundance of sulfur, crucial challenges including polysulfide shuttling and low sulfur content of sulfur cathodes need to be overcome before the commercial survival of sulfur cathodes. Herein, cobalt/carbon spheres embedded CNTs (Co-C-CNTs) are rationally designed as multifunctional hosts to synergistically address the drawbacks of sulfur cathodes. The host is synthesized by a facile pyrolysis using Co(OH)2 template and followed with the controllable etching process. The hierarchical porous structure owning high pore volume and surface area can buffer the volume change, physically confine polysulfides, and provide conductive networks. Besides, partially remained metallic cobalt nanoparticles are favorable for chemical adsorption and conversion of polysulfides, as validated by density functional theory simulations. With the combination of above merits, the S@Co-C-CNTs cathodes with a high sulfur content of 80 wt% present a superior initial capacity (1568 mAh g-1 at 0.1C) with ultrahigh 93.6% active material utilization, and excellent rate performance (649 mAh g-1 at 2C), providing feasible strategies for the optimization of cathodes in metal-sulfur batteries.

Coordination Engineering of Fe-Centered Catalysts for Superior Li-S Battery Performance.

Iron-nitrogen functionalized graphene has emerged as a promising cathode host for rechargeable lithium-sulfur batteries (RLSBs) due to its affordability and enhanced battery performance. To optimize its catalytical efficiency, we propose a novel approach involving coordination engineering. Our investigation spans a plethora of catalysts with varied coordination environments, focusing on elements B, C, N and O. We revealed that Fe-C4 and Fe-B2C2-h are particularly effective for promoting Li2S oxidation, whereas Fe-N4 excels in catalyzing the sulfur reduction reaction (SRR). Importantly, our study identified specific descriptors - namely, the Integrated Crystal Orbital Hamilton Population (ICOHP) and the bond length between Fe and S in Li2S adsorbed state - as the most effective predictive descriptors for Li2S oxidation barriers. Meanwhile, Li2S adsorption energy emerges as a reliable descriptor for assessing the SRR barrier. These identified descriptors are expected to be instrumental in rapidly identifying promising cathode hosts across various metal-centered systems with diverse coordination environments. Our findings not only offer valuable insights into the role of coordination environment, but also present an effective path for rapidly identifying high performance catalysts for RLSBs, enabling the acceleration of advanced RLSBs development.