We report a novel composite of sulfur loaded in micropore-rich carbon aerogel (CA-S), as cathode of lithium-sulfur battery. Carbon aerogel (CA) is synthesized through phenol-formaldehyde reaction with a low catalyst concentration and carbonization under high temperature, and loaded with sulfur via chemical deposition and heat treatment. The physical properties of the resulting CA and the electro-chemical performances of the resulting CA-S are investigated by scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller characterization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and galvanostatic discharge/charge test, with a comparison of a common carbon material, acetylene black (AB), and sulfur loaded in AB (AB-S). It is found that the CA is micropore-rich with micropore volume over 66% of total pore volume, and the CA-S exhibits significantly improved cyclic stability compared with AB-S. The improved performance of CA-S is attributed to the confinement of the micropores in CA to small sulfur allotropes and corresponding lithium sulfides. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.