Lithium–sulfur battery has drawn attention in electric vehicle applications and other fields because of its very high energy density. The improvement in electrical conductivity of sulfur electrode and the retardation of the diffusion of polysulfides in organic electrolytes have become the research focuses of the field of lithium–sulfur battery. Nanostructured carbon materials (such as activated carbon) with high specific surface area, large pore volume, and nanoporous structure are suitable matrices for sulfur. Activated carbon can be prepared from various precursors, including different natural materials that are generally abundant, renewable, inexpensive, and environmentally benign compared with artificial templates and precursors.