Manipulating the Li–S reaction kinetics via the V8C7/phosphorus defect-integrated carbon promoter

V8C7/phosphorus defect-integrated carbon (VPC) is proposed as a dual-function promoter for Li–S chemistry. The well-dispersed V8C7 and phosphorus defects exhibit ample polar sites and remarkable electron conductivity. Such rational integration of dual active centers simultaneously suppresses the shuttle effect and propels the Li–S redox reaction kinetics. Therefore, the S/VPC cathode shows an initial capacity of 1090.0 mA h g−1 and a high retention of 83.5% at 0.2C after 100 cycles and a low decay rate of 0.076% at 2C over 600 cycles.