The sulfur confined inside the interpenetrating network of compressed nickel foam we prepared and its application as a high-performance S cathode for lithium-sulfur batteries was investigated. The double confine by Ni foam and pencil-plating graphite makes the cathode high performance. The mechanical physical method was applied to prepare the S cathode at room temperature without using binder and conductive additives. The sulfur mass loading was controlled between 0.42 and 3.32 mg/cm(2) in the cathode piece. The optimized cathode of 0.42 mg/cm(2) S on Ni foam displayed high initial discharge capacity (1412 mAh/g at 1C), long cycle stability (1014 mAh/g after 100 cycles at 1C, S 1.05 mg/m(2) ), and high rate capability (495 mAh/g at 2C, S 1.15 mg/cm(2) ). This rapid, simple, one-step cathode preparation method may pave a new practical way for mass production of high-performances S cathode materials in lithium-sulfur battery technology.