Abstract

Li and S compounds are currently exploited for their applications in battery industry. Here, we discovered that Li?S compounds exhibit supercapacitor like properties in a context-dependent manner viz., when Li and S atoms are entrapped in a conductivity cage of N-doped reduced graphene oxide (ND?RGO) supercapacitor derived from silk cocoon, it resulted in the formation of a superior hybrid Li?S-silk (ND?RGO?Li?S) supercapacitor. Interestingly, ND?RGO?Li?S proves to be a better supercapacitor than ND?RGO alone. Electrochemical properties of ND?RGO versus ND?RGO?Li?S indicated that the later has higher capacitance (~ 10.72%), lower resistance (~ 2.98%), and higher time constant or relaxation time (~ 7.52%). Thus, in one of the first attempts, caging Li and S in ND?RGO supercapacitor matrix offers a new role for Li?S, as an improved supercapacitor, unlike its current application as a battery.