▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - Coral-like composite material comprises highly dispersed conductive metal nitride, metal carbide or metal carbonitride nanoparticles on mesoporous carbon nanosheets. USE - The coral-like composite material is useful in a coating material, which is used for a modified separator of a lithium-sulfur battery (all claimed). ADVANTAGE - The coral-like composite material: addresses the issue of polysulfide shutting effect due to its strong polysulfide adsorption capability and provides high areal capacity at a sulfur loading more than 6 mg cm-2; provides the lithium-sulfur battery that exhibits reduced charge transfer resistance having electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) as compared to a lithium-sulfur battery with a unmodified separator and enhances the surface charge transfer reactions for better electrochemical performance; utilizes the surface metal oxides that are beneficial to suppress polysulfide shutting since metal oxides having excellent polysulfide adsorption capabilities; and utilizes the graphitic carbon nitride that is readily available and has low cost. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for: (1) preparing (M1) a coral-like composite material, comprising (a) mixing a mixture of a precursor of metal nitride, metal carbide or metal carbonitride material and a graphitic carbon nitride material, and (b) drying the mixture and heating solids obtained from dried mixture at a first elevated temperature for a first time period and at a second elevated temperature for a second time period in an inert atmosphere; (2) a coating material comprising the coral-like composite material, a conducting carbon material and a binder; (3) preparing (M2) a modified separator, comprising (a1) mixing a mixture of the coral-like composite material, a conducting carbon material and a binder, and (b1) coating the mixture on a porous and non-electrically-conductive membrane; and (4) a lithium-sulfur battery comprising the coating material.